Letters - February 10, 2016

I suggest he gets used to it. Being chairman of a local Labour group, he obviously has to criticise the Conservative Government with selective comments.

The budget cuts the Labour Lancashire County Councillors keep crying about, reflect the real-time cuts the Conservative Government had to make across most Government departments, after the billions of pounds borrowed by the last Labour Government to enable people on benefits to have more income than hard-working people.

However, despite the so-called austerity measures, the Conservatives are investing billions to make life better for more people than Labour ever did, especially workers, families, the young, pensioners and ex-servicemen and women.

The Conservative schools budget will be over £40 billion with over 500 new free schools on the way.

The Conservatives lifted the cap on university places and have started delivering the promised three million apprentices. The UK has the highest employment rate among young people in a decade. VAT, National Insurance and Income Tax will not be raised for the next five years, and from April 2016, basic state pensions will be increased to £119.30 per week, the biggest rise in pensions, in real-terms for over 15 years, cemented with the Conservative triple lock.

This year will see the start of 30 hours of free childcare per week and from April no-one aged 25 or over will earn less than £7.20 per hour. 2016 will see an investment of £6 billion in the NHS with over £19 billion invested by 2020/2021, to help generate a 7-day NHS.

All I can see is a Labour Party totally involved in public self-destruction. This is a shame as it will be reflected badly on local Labour Party members and associations who do work quite hard for their communities.

Some of my best friends and associates are Labour councillors, and I have served on many committees with them towards benefiting our local communities, which, to me, is far more important than discussions on national politics, over which I have little influence.

I sincerely believe local politics is about local issues and local communities; being positive and seeking best solutions, working constructively with any individual or group to achieve successful outcomes for the benefit of all regardless of political beliefs.

Brian Crawford

Rossall

Fleetwood

ENTERTAINMENT

Why does the BBC squander our cash?

I have just read the letter from Pat Vivian “Give up big salaries, not free TV licence” and I agree most heartedly (Your Say, Gazette, February 8).

Over recent months I have not watched, but through programme trailers, know of so-called celebs setting off on expensive jollies only to satisfy their own wishes.

How many of us would love to travel across the world to some exotic land, just to see if we would like to retire there?

Then there is the question of how many highly-paid presenters does it take to host a breakfast talk show?

There are many more examples of where celebs seem to determine the topic which determines the programmes. Its easy to go on about the ease with which the BBC squanders our money.

My ideal programme? A documentary presented by David Attenborough, with his ability to introduce us to the wonders of nature.

PS I’d like a trip to Rome.

Bob Bradley

via email

RETAIL

We should oppose Sunday trading bill

Local shopworkers are worried about Government plans to devolve Sunday trading hours to councils and the effects it will have on family life, local shops and the community.

The change could lead to large shops opening for longer, even though they are already trading for up to 150 out of 168 hours a week, so shopworkers will have even less time to spend with their families. It won’t help small stores, who are already allowed to open whenever they like, and may put some of them out of business. This is a solution looking for a problem that doesn’t exist.

The Sunday Trading Act is a great British compromise, which has worked well for over 20 years and gives everyone a little bit of what they want. Retailers can trade, customers can shop, staff can work; whilst Sunday remains a special day, different to other days, and shopworkers can spend time with their family.

We encourage readers to let their MP know what they think, so their vote in Parliament reflects local views.

John Hannett

General Secretary

Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw)

NATURE

Did turbines drive whales to shore?

The death of so many sperm whales in our North Sea waters is very distressing. Is it possible that the numerous offshore wind turbines in these waters have affected the navigation system of these animals, causing them to flounder in shallow waters?

Stephanie Shield

via email

POLITICS

Union bill is only fair 
to ‘Old Etonians’

The Government’s Trade Union Bill is nowt of the sort.

It’s an attempt to push through a one-sided biased reform of party funding – but excluding the Conservatives.

This Bill will slash union donations to Labour while donors are free to plough cash into Conservative coffers.

Sounds fair enough – to Old Etonians.

Terry Marston

address supplied