Letters - March 26, 2018

I think Alistair Humphreys’ proposal to remove public telephone boxes because of anti-social behaviour and drug dealing is completely misguided.

We should be dealing with the actual cause of the problem, not the consequences. Bus and tram stops can attract anti-social behaviour. Does Councillor Humphreys want to remove them too?

If he has evidence of drug dealing, he should report it to the police. They can then take appropriate action. Removing the telephone boxes would deprive the area of a valuable neighbourhood resource and move the problem elsewhere, without actually solving it.

If adult services place their business cards there, Councillor Humphreys can remove them. Easily done.

Some of the boxes could do with a lick of paint, but then so could so many of the buildings in Blackpool. Just look at the state of the Ibis Hotel – I think that’s far more of an eyesore than a few telephone boxes scattered around town. And as for the complaint that some town centre phone boxes are used as toilets or have rubbish dumped in them, why doesn’t the council provide more public conveniences in tourist areas and more bins?

I know there would be costs attached to doing this but, if Blackpool wants to attract more family groups, then it has to invest in the basic facilities for these visitors.

Marjorie Mason

Ennerdale Road
Blackpool

POLITICS

BoJo and Corbyn should both retire

Both our major political parties have in their ranks at least one politician who, for different reasons, should be culled without delay.

One of them is Jeremy Corbyn who, given his hatred of western liberal values, is not fit to lead the Labour Party, a party that he and his clique are steadily and deliberately destroying.

The other is Boris Johnson. He is a buffoon, an embarrassing Foreign Secretary who is ignorant of history and disliked by his equivalents in the EU. To compare a very nasty Putin to the mass murderer Hitler demonstrates an ignorance that cannot be tolerated in a British Foreign Secretary. He is the most incompetent and inarticulate holder of that high office since 1945.

Parliament would be a much better place were both of these misfits to retire, one to Moscow, the other to an island retreat.

Dr Barry Clayton

Thornton Cleveleys

POLITICS

No Churchill, more of a Chamberlain

I cannot understand Jeremy Corbyn siding with the Russians over the Salisbury poisonings. His communist thoughts must be overcoming his patriotism – he is certainly no Churchill, more of a Chamberlain.

History has told us appeasement does not work, from Napoleon to Hitler, from Hussein to Kim Jong Un .

You must have peace through strength it’s the only way.

Tony King

Valentia Road
Blackpool

ENVIRONMENT

Dog owners, pick up your pet’s mess

Dog owners, please pick up your dog’s poo from paths and pavements. Paths and pavements are used by people. People tread in the dog poo. Dog poo is trodden into mats and carpets in schools, cars and homes.

Dog poo gets onto school shoes and wellies. Shoes and wellies go in bags and lockers. Bags and lockers contain books and toys.Books and toys are handled by our children. Dog poo gets on to our children.

Please just pick up after your dogs.

helen sweet

via email

LAWS

Health and safety must be protected

We should be proud that countless deaths and injuries have been avoided because of the UK’s robust approach to safety.

Yet safety measures in place for adventure activities are under review, and one option up for discussion is to abolish the licensing authority and replace it with a voluntary scheme.

How any parents would be happy to send their child off on a kayaking or mountain biking excursion without a statutory, enforced, safety scheme in place is difficult to fathom.

Health and safety protection should be celebrated, not watered down. It must be noted that many safety laws have their roots in Europe, so proper scrutiny is needed during the Brexit process when it is decided which laws will stay and which will go.

Brett Dixon

President
Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)