Letters - May 15, 2018

When will this witch-hunt end?

When is the ‘Punish the Pensioners’ witch hunt going to end? Before anyone jumps in, I know – when you die.

Last week, a spokesman for the Resolution Foundation put their idea forward that pensioners should pay more tax and young people should get a £10,000 hand-out.

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Just how these people come up with their stupid ideas is unbelievable.

Pensioners have paid their dues, paying tax and National Insurance all their working life.

They often left school at 14 or 15 years of age and worked for 50 years or more. Stop attacking them and let them live their last few years in peace.

No one gave us anything, we have had to work hard for what we’ve got.

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I am all for giving the youngsters £10,000 but only to those that are deserving of it, only those who are in work and attempting to save, and university students should be allowed to apply.

Have you got any idea how much alcohol or drugs £10,000 would buy?

The Government should be helping youngsters get into work. The Government must be one of the biggest employers in the country, so why are they not putting the youngsters to work?

I know that many of them are not happy about being on the minimum wage, but it would get them into work and, from there, they could be looking to improve and apply for other positions, and they would be eligible for a reference from any job they have had.

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The motto should be “No Work, No Money” and Jobseeker’s Allowance should only be allowed for 12 months.

The Government should start by banning zero-hour contracts and make agencies more responsible for the people on their books.

Dave Croucher

Address supplied

CRIME

Officers need to patrol streets again

The only real way to tackle the rising level of youths stabbing each other is to have patrolling police officers, on foot, talking to the public and befriending the youths.

As a country and city bobby of years ago, we mixed with the public and listened to their worries.

That way we often nipped crime in the bud.

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If police are not out on the streets, they are not connecting with the public so they have no idea of potential trouble spots and therefore cannot be prepared.

We forecasted, as we watched various cutbacks, that the service would become the same as the Fire Service, only turning out when needed.

It has got worse than that as they now do not, on occasions, turn out to crime reports.

How very sad is that?

Today’s police are remote creatures who leave their stations and vehicles only when the bother has started.

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It is rare to see an actual foot patrol officer so, if they are not able to connect with the public, how can they know when and where there is a problem?

Peter 
Hyde

Address supplied

AID

Let’s help build prisons in Africa

Many years ago we sent prisoners to Australia to help with the over-crowding problem.

We should be considering another such move by building prisons in Africa which would give much needed employment to the people in Africa.

We could afford to do 
this from our foreign aid budget.

I am sure that this would also prove to be a deterrent to prisoners reoffending.

Barry

Address supplied

POLITICS

There’s only one sane political party

Brexit is a warning to the world.

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The choice: A party that caused the Windrush scandal and the Grenfell Tower scandal or a party with a leader who hates progress and human rights. The only sane party is the Liberal Democrats and the only mature, sensible leader is Vince Cable. The electorate are afraid to vote for the Lib Dems because they believe that it is a wasted vote. The wasted votes are for the Tories and Labour, none other.

Stephen Bennett

Address supplied

APPEAL

Help after breast screening scandal

You may have seen news stories about a problem with breast screening invitations that has affected many thousands of women who would be aged between 69 and 79 today.

We’ve created a dedicated page on our website www.breastcancercare.org.uk where you can watch our minute-long video with Breast Cancer Care clinical director Dr Emma Pennery, and where people affected (or are worried they may be) can read more.

Our free Helpline is there Monday to Saturday on 0808 800 6000 to support people through this and any other breast cancer concerns they may have. Our Ask Our Nurses email service can provide expert support in writing.

Samia al Qadhi

Chief Executive
Breast Cancer Care