Letters - May 13, 2016

I had to avail myself of those services 10 days ago when I dislocated my shoulder, we all put a hand out to save ourselves, and the pain was ghastly.

Response team first, thanks a million for all you did, ditto the guys in the ambulance. First class service and consideration and kindness.

When I went to Victoria, it was more of the same, so now my arm is working as it should, I need to say a public thank you to them all. The National Health Service is a national treasure.

Warning politicians you mess it up at your peril, it belongs to the people.

Mrs Norma Gerrard

Cresswood Ave

Thornton

POLITICS

Is a desire for peace a left-wing thing?

The rather discourteous letter from Coun Peter Gibson (Your Say, Gazette, May 10) about my previous correspondence fails to acknowledge that my letter was in support of the Gazette colmnist Barry Freeman, who put in context the support Hitler gave to the Zionists moving Jews out of Germany in the 1933/4 era as fact.

Is it right for the leader of the Wyre Conservatives to label me a left wing propogandist! Unless it is left wingto have an understanding of history?

I have studied the issues overthe resettlement of Jews in Isreal and theproblems of displaced Palestinians. For a while,I have supported The Jewish Voice For Peace (JVP), a US movement founded by Jews who talk sense.

Inspired by Jewish tradition they work together for peace, social justice, and human rights, the support the aspirations of Israelis, and Palestinians, promoting security and self determination. JVP supports peace activists in Palestine and Israel, working in broad coalition with Jewish, Arab-American, faith-based peace and social justice organisations. They say of the atrocities on both sides “not in my name”.

This is why, as a supporter of human rights and peace makers, I would urge Coun Gibson to calm down dear!

Is it left wing to want peace and human rights?

Marjorie Nye

Knowle Avenue

Blackpool

EUROPE

Leaving EU would be a shot in the foot

The EU is the world largest trading block, and by a huge margin it will remain our largest trading partner, whatever the referendum result.

To vote to leave would be like shooting ourselves in the foot. It will leave Britain weaker not stronger, isolated not independent.

It was British representatives who took the lead in creating the EU single market. It boosts trade by setting common rules and common standards for almost everything we buy and sell. European standards often become adopted as world standards.

Our people are involved in shaping these rules on a daily basis. By and large we put forward good ideas that win support. Mostly we get our way.

It’s a simple truth that you don’t get more say over the policies that will affect you if you are not in the room where the decisions are made.

If we leave the EU we shall have to follow the rules set by others.

That will not increase our sovereignty, it will just leave us with a bleeding foot, looking stupid.

Chris Davies

North West Liberal Democrats

EUROPE

The UK doesn’t need the interfering EU

People will not be taken in by the recent Euro brochure on referendum. At best it’s weak and one-sided, and at worst inaccurate and a futile attempt at scaremongering.

One has only to look at the craters in our roads, the abysmal bus and rail services, our ever-open borders with no control on immigration, our diminished police forces, the starving of finance to the NHS, recycling plants mothballed, local authorities striving to provide for schools, libraries, alleviate poverty and homelessness, assist disabled, provide women’s refuges, non deportation of extreme dangerous foreign criminals – still two million unemployed and two million forced to use food banks, the list is endless.

The European Union is bleeding the UK dry and has been disastrous for Britain.

The thirty billion pounds of UK tax money used by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels who meddle in UK affairs should be spent in the UK, to prevent us sliding further into third world status.

This is UK’s last chance to regain sovereignty, our freedoms and own laws for our children, which will be more important than Magna Carta.

The United Kingdom does not need this unnecessary and interfering euro union.

Other sensible countries will certainly follow.

Mr D Barker

Pine Crescent

Poulton

POLITICS

Labour doing quite nicely, thank you

Contrary to some reports, the 2016 local elections were an outstanding success for Labour, who won 50 per cent more seats than the Tories.

In Lancashire, Labour Police Commissioner Clive Grunshaw was re-elected with an increased majority, with his lead in Blackpool greater than the excellent 2012 result.

In opposition, Labour is having a field day, with the Tories forced into U-turns on tax credits, disability benefits, police cuts, the Trade Union Bill, forced academisation and much, much more.

While some hostile commentators continue to twist the truth, others have gone strangely quiet.

Martin Mitchell

via email