Readers' letters - July 28

Was David Cameron the architect of his own political downfall?

He told the nation on the steps of 10 Downing Street that he had left Britain ‘much stronger’ after his six years in office, that he was proud of reducing the deficit, introducing the gay marriage law, increasing international aid spending and cutting waiting lists for NHS treatments.

What happened to those promises he made to us in the Tory manifesto of 2010?

He promised to reduce net migration to below 100,000 by 2015.

He failed on that, failed to keep pace with the huge demand for housing stock, failed to protect businesses and homes from the risk of flooding and supported fracking against the wishes of thousands of people.

His Government was forced into embarrassing U-turns on cuts to family tax credits, disability benefits and plans to force all schools to become academies.

The benefit cuts he administered to the sick and disabled angered many people and those families on low incomes have struggled to make ends meet while he rewarded 
the rich and well-off with tax breaks.

The final chapter of David Cameron’s legacy will, of course, be dominated by his huge misjudgment of the electorate.

He sincerely thought he could persuade the British people to vote to stay in the European Union and this backfired.

Mr Cameron pandered to his eurosceptic MPs at Westminster and the fear of the rise of UKIP.

This proved to be a reckless gamble that failed big style.

Our former Prime Minister was finally defeated by the business of politics.

He took an almighty risk and in the end he lost it all.

Goodbye David Cameron.

John Yale,

Address supplied

Environment wrecking crew

Instead of judging Tory Prime Minister Theresa May as a woman, we should be looking at her policies. In her first week in charge, her Government has brought in policies to force struggling families needing welfare support to call a premium rate number. It is difficult enough to live on disability benefits without being charged 45p a minute to call the Department of Work and Pensions.

Theresa May has also abolished the Department for Energy and Climate Change which is a signal that the post-Brexit UK will be a disaster for the environment. May has ignored a Government report that urgent action is needed to protect Britain from flooding, deadly heatwaves, and water shortages caused by global warming. Theresa May and her cabinet are shaping up to be nothing less than an environment wrecking crew.

John Appleyard via email

Killers infected by virus of hate

Re: propaganda of IS, I think ‘Irritated BBC Viewer’ has a point (LEP July 22). What would happen if the media deprived these killers of publicity? What if, instead, there was more focus on the victims, the people who deserve to be remembered? I believe these murderers thrive on publicity.

Killers want to be called ‘IS soldiers’. Why do we call them what they want to be called? They’re not ‘Islamic radicals’ either. No one becomes ‘radicalised’ into murdering innocent people.

They’re deranged killers who hate Christians, Jews, peaceful Muslims, children, women, secular people, gay people ... The list goes on and on. It reminds me of a horror novel I read. Infected by a virus, humans became brain-dead zombies intent on destroying all who were in their way for no real reason. In real life, these ‘brain-dead zombies’ have become infected by hatred.

Jane, Lancashire

Churches, be more proactive

It is unbelievable that the bishops and powers-that-be in the Catholic Church are debating which churches are to close in the next months.

Granted there are fewer priests now but behind every priest is an army of willing lay helpers in every parish to help and assist in every way possible.

Schools were built next to churches for a reason and it was easy access for the children to attend services in the church on a regular basis, growing up to understand, learn and enjoy their religion.

Families should be encouraged to extend their attendance by joining together to go to services and events.

The children of today are the Catholics of the future. Make the church an enjoyable experience, being taught, but not brainwashed, about the joys and teachings of their religion.

Start being pro-active, not re-active.

Stop the closure of these churches and start fighting for them.

Get the people into the churches which are the source of collective prayer and, believe or not, contentment, with the knowledge that you are hopefully a better person, considering others besides yourself as Christ taught us.

‘Cease Church Closures’, Preston

Afternoon tea helped charity

In June, we had the most wonderful get-together, organised by Linda Gates, of Trading in Hair, Plungington, for Rosemere Cancer Foundation.

All hair-dos were done, best frocks put on, and off we went to Bartle Hall.

Even the sun came out for us, on our meet and greet in the lovely gardens. The smiling staff served us with Pimms. We were then taken into the Windsor Suite for fabulous afternoon tea.

The golden walls and glistening chandeliers really made us think we were in any other city in Europe.

The only man present gave a talk of Rosemere, reminding us why we were there.

That’s when we all had our own quiet thoughts of our loved ones we had lost.

Thank you to Linda and her staff for a qreat afternoon and an opportunity to support Rosemere Cancer.

Philomena Cumming and Friends, Fulwood