Letters - February 15, 2016

This Government somehow or other manages to find billions of pounds for overseas aid. Add to this many more billions of pounds to support the influx of immigrants into Europe, some of whom are economic or illegal.

Then we have more billions of pounds that we have to pay to the European Union, but when it comes to our own people, our councils are short-changed and have to increase council tax which, when you think of it, is a real kick in the teeth for taxpayers.

Everybody else gets support except our own people. It is truly scandalous. I ask myself why does our indigenous population have to take second place to people from other countries around the world? That’s the EU for you!

I voted in the 1974 Referendum when we joined what was then the ‘Common Market’. This was purely a trade agreement. No politics involved. But over the years there has been one treaty after another, each one reducing our ability to govern ourselves, until we now have an unelected bureaucratic dictatorship in Brussels telling our democratically elected Parliaments what we can or cannot do. Because we signed these ‘treaties’ we come under the control of the European Parliament and European Commission, not our own Parliament. People should remember this.

The only way we can regain our financial independence and control our own economy is to leave the EU. There is no other way.

D J Bunting

Birkdale Ave

Blackpool

LANDAUS

What’s the problem with resort icons?

Landaus have been part of Blackpool for years and should have more rights than the taxis of Blackpool.

They only use the Prom, so why should they not be allowed to work on a Friday? Do taxis still work on Friday nights? This is the bread and butter for these people that bring enjoyment to many a child.

The horses are well-trained and well looked after and the carriages have lights on, so what’s the problem? One incident does not justify a ban on Fridays. How many incidents are there involving taxis? Quite a few, I presume.

Debbie Fogg

via email

ANIMAL WELFARE

Eat less meat and help end cruelty

I am asking Gazette readers to do one simple thing – eat less meat. The unspeakable cruelty that goes on in the warehouses of death in the name of factory farming would give us all nightmares for the rest of our lives if we knew what went on there.

According to the Animal Equity group, more than 56 billion farmed animals are killed every year by humans, and most will never have known a green pasture. All they will know is a cage, and fear, and zero quality of life.

By reducing the vast quantities of meat we consume, improving animal welfare could become a financial possibility. Meat just once a week should suffice. History will not look kindly at the way we are currently treat animals.

Harry Francis

via email

HEALTH

Why shouldn’t GPs be open all week?

Junior doctors on strike, why shouldn’t they? From what I read they need improvements to pay and safety standards.

On the subject of a seven-day NHS, why shouldn’t our GPs open the full week? You try to see your doctor, you can’t get an appointment. Why shouldn’t they open Saturdays and Sundays as well? Our GPs get paid very well, it would be good if they were a little more available when we need to see them.

Jayne Grayson

via email

FLOODING

An idea to deal with floods insurance

There is discussion concerning flood insurance for private and commercial establishments.

Here is food for thought.

I, like many thousands of households throughout the UK, have not had a claim for many years.

Why not pool this money to help those less fortunate?

Competent administration would be required and I realise the insuranhce companies may not like the idea, but it would help stabilise premiums.

Furthermore, it might stop customers being priced out of insurance!

I realise some would say this is nationalisation but others might say that it is common sense.

Dennis Whittaker

Address supplied

HERITAGE

A return to the green and cream

I would like to say I agree 100 per cent with L Hurst (Your Say, Gazette, February 11) Blackpool buses and trams should be put back to the original green and cream, not the horrible mish mash of colours used to day

All the heritage trams should be in green and cream, get rid of the purple and paint the new trams (which, in my opinion, are not proper trams and certainly not the trams enthusiasts come to Blackpool for). They should be green and cream as well.

Wilf Greaves

Bispham