Readers' letters - June 15

As someone who has 
always been interested in elections since studying Economics and Government 65 years ago, I have to say I don’t recall a previous election being anything like the one we have just had on June 8.

This is because this was the election that everyone lost.

The Conservatives certainly lost, ending up with fewer seats than if they had not called the election.

Jeremy Corbyn lost because, despite promising the moon and green cheese – and targeting it to draw in students and pensioners, he still couldn’t get in.

The SNP lost big time, as well as losing seats, losing what became, in effect, a pre-run of ‘Indy Ref 2’.

The Liberals had a torrid time.

The Greens (leader Caroline Lucas pictured)had little to lost yet managed to lose a bit.

I think the British people lost too, overall, now going into Brexit discussions with a hung Parliament.

Would it have been better if this election had never taken place?

With the benefit of hindsight, I think the answer to that question is 
a resounding “Yes”.

Neil Inkley

Walton-le-dale

terror

Where was the political unity?

In light of the recent attacks in Manchester and London, I’m appalled to find that politicians are criticising each other over policies whilst people have lost loved ones and others are still suffering in much pain from their injuries in hospital.

I remember when the Dunblane massacre in Scotland occurred in the 1990s and both the Conservative and Labour parties effectively came together and combined their support for the victims in this, without one party criticising the other.

Sadly, in this day and

age, this seems not to be the case.

When the above acts of terrorism were committed, we’ve had the politicians expressing their views with hardly any support shown for the victims.

In Dunblane, Tony Blair, whilst he stood side by side on the streets with John Major, said they were united in this struggle to find some way of dealing with these kinds of situations.

John A Smith

Penwortham

ENERGY

Not so many anti-frackers

So the self-proclaimed ‘voice’ of the anti-fracking protest movement, Tina Rothery, was ‘heard’ by just 1,263 supporters in the Fylde general election.

I’m glad she said her Green Party campaign had been an “interesting experience” and she had taken “great encouragement” from the reaction to the fracking issue – because she certainly didn’t get all-important votes!

Like all those who have stood in County and Parliamentary elections on an anti-fracking ticket before her, she lost – and lost badly.

It all goes to show that, despite the many far-fetched claims about the threats fracking poses, the people of Fylde are certainly not convinced. If there are that many anti-fracking supporters out there, surely they would have switched their political allegiances in greater numbers and made a strong statement at the ballot box.

The poll truly ‘speaks’ volumes.

Mr G Cash

Blackpool

politics

Laughing stock of the world

Our love as a nation for the underdog has taken this country into unchartered territory as a result of the usual cross-party mud-slinging and promises.

We have become the laughing stock of the world.

We have some extremely naive people in this land who think that if you are promised the earth (NHS funding, free further education, more police officers etc) it can be funded from nothing.

The majority of the younger voters haven’t had to struggle through leaner times, where, before you achieved anything in life, you had to work extremely hard.

In the past, I had three jobs at the same time to enable me to buy the things I wanted, in a world where you saved up before you bought things, scrimped and saved and couldn’t rely on government hand-outs because there weren’t any.

What sort of incentive is there in life for ambition and success if you are handed things on a plate?

A government’s ideology of a shared pot, where we all provide for the poorer sections of our community is all fine and well.

The lessons have not been learned though that, in order to do this, there has to be a huge amount of the population earning well to be able to provide this.

How long is it before the hugely wealthy individuals and companies leave the

UK?I must remember that the next time anyone has a majority in anything it means they have won.

It adds a new dimension to the truth.

Name and address supplied

brexit

Sign petition to leave union

Readers, should the Government continue talks to leave the European Union and the single market?

If so, support a petition that has been created. Go to www.petitions24.com, enter the section, Recent Petitions, and view the petition titled Brexit talks.

F E Sharpe

Plymouth

politics

A pointless reshuffle

Theresa May spent most of Sunday reshuffling her former Cabinet. Eighteen were returned to their former posts. Hardly in the class of the late Paul Daniels.

So does this mean more of the same? If so, there will be a lot of nervous Tory politicians awaiting the next inevitable early election.

Denis Lee

Ashton

politics

May lost the trust of people

By going back on her word re: an early election, Mrs May lost the trust of the people.

Andrew Mercer

Address supplied