Letters - June 7, 2016

None have the influx of visitors on a regular basis, and none have the amount of attractions our resort offers. None have the influx of eateries and takeaways available here, but it is also clear that none of the resorts have the masses of litter we have, and it’s obvious that we must lack something other resorts have in the quest to keep streets and promenade litter free.

It is no surprise, therefore, to see the photo Gavin Stanfield took (Gazette, June 4) of the litter strewn seashore at 9pm. It’s not only the seafront that is a disgrace, but also residential streets away from the promenade.

Here, on Ashton Road alone, the amount of litter blown up from Central Drive just shows it’s not only visitors, but residents too who drop their litter and have no pride in where we live.

While the council have a big job on their hands to clamp down on this with all the cut backs and all, something has to be put in place, and yes heavy fines is one way, but who and how do the culprits get caught and reprimanded to stop them doing it again, and how will this be enforced in our residential areas?

Good luck with that!

Clifford Chambers

Ashton Road

Blackpool

EUROPE

History reveals the benefits of the EU

Ever since I was a boy I have loved watching aircraft. In my early years, I watched the Canberra aircraft bank over Lancashire flying to and from the English Electric manufacturing plant.

Time moved on and came the development of the TSR2, partly at Warton, a brilliantly designed aircraft set to replace the ageing Vulcan bomber in the cold war era. What happened?

The UK government ran out of money for the project. Australia rejected the aircraft in favour of the cheaper F111 subsidised by large orders from the USAF. The realisation soon came that the UK could not afford to develop military aircraft on its own and we needed multi-national co-operation.

The Tornado was developed with German and Italian partners, and what a superb aircraft it is. Following this, with additional partners, came the Typhoon, another brilliant aircraft.

In civilian aircraft, the Airbus series of passenger jets have been developed and this in my lifetime has probably been the most successful industrial project ever.

An additional benefit has been to Rolls Royce, working alongside Airbus developing engines. Projects such as these could have only come to fruition with European co-operation and tariff-free movement of goods.

I simply cannot believe that Brexit campaigners want to throw this away.

I can only think that they have little knowledge of manufacturing and what can be achieved by collaborative working. Hundreds of thousands of well-paid jobs depend on these projects, and these ill-informed enthusiasts for European division are driving the UK further into manufacturing oblivion.

The Remain option in the forthcoming referendum is by far the most convincing.

GW Collinge

via email

EUROPE

Politicians haven’t listened to Winston

How poignant were the words highlighted by Tom Roberts, when quoting the words of Sir Winston Churchill: “If Britain must choose between Europe and the open sea , she must always choose the open sea” (Your Say, Gazette, June 1).

This must be the greatest asset that our islands possess. Yet last week it was revealed how refugees were crossing the English Channel, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, in a rubber dinghy – apparently not the first!

To add to this amazing story we were then told that GB had just three patrol boats to cover 7,700 miles of coastline. France, however, had 40 vessels to cover 2,100 miles of coastline.

The day following the above events, Vote Leave, who were chosen to lead the OUT Campaign, made little or no mention of guarding the “open sea” around our Islands, but ‘buried’ the whole incident under their new announcement regarding the Australian points system for immigrants, a system proposed by Mr Farage several months ago!

If the positions had been reversed I feel sure Mr Farage would have stressed the immigration and terror threat we faced from these breeches in security – announcing his plans for immigration at a later date.

David Cameron said on the 50th commemoration of Churchill’s funeral: “History has been kind to Winston Churchill, not because he wrote it, but because he shaped it. He left a Britain more free, more secure, more brave and more proud, for that we will always be grateful to him.”

It appears to me that Mr Cameron, on one side of the Tory fence, and Mr Johnson, on the other side, pay lip service to Sir Winston, but neither take in a word he has said !

Trust none of them. put trust in your country, and be sure to vote leave on June 23.

Harvey Carter

via email

EUROPE

Pay no attention to those crying wolf

So. It’s decided. For me, after hearing the two sides of the Europe debate, I’ve reached a definite conclusion.

I am not about to sacrifice my country or my children’s future on the altar of jingoism, xenophobia, ignorance, self deception and wishful thinking.

As for the Brexit baying of ‘scaremongering’ (can’t they come up with a new jibe after all these weeks?) and ‘crying wolf’, remember the ending of that particular fable?

The wolf came...

T Ithebarn

Poulton