Letters - October 15, 2018

May I point out that non-violent protest, although usually highly visible and inconvenient to some, is an essential part of living in a democracy.

Earlier this year the actions of the Suffragette movement, which civilised our country, were rightly being celebrated.

Right now residents of the Fylde and elsewhere in England and Europe are extremely vulnerable to the dangers of the fracking industry enforced by the present government and facilitated by Lancashire Constabulary.

Experimental fracking creating data by using the local residents and environment as guinea pigs must, in the opinion of many, be resisted.

Our children must be protected.

The wrongdoers will prove to be the fracking industry and their facilitators should any harm befall us!

Peter K Roberts

Warton

POLITICS

Taking money 
from the poor

Whenever I hear criticism of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party, I hear this: “He will bankrupt the country”.

I also hear, “Where will he get the money from?”

(This is in answer to Labour’s plans of nationalisation).

Fair point, although if the money can be found, I believe nationalising and investing in public transport should be essential. How much more convenient if the elderly, vulnerable and disabled had better transport! (Or indeed any of us). How much better for the environment!

But then I see what the Tories are spending money on during this era of so-called ‘austerity’ – £2m on Princess Eugenie’s wedding, £55.7bn on an unnecessary HS2 train service, and of course, there’s the third runway for Heathrow...

All this while public and social services get cut and genuinely ill people are chased for work.

Where do the Tories get the money for these non-essentials? From the poor it seems. So I guess Labour would take from the rich.

So there’s your answer, now the choice is, what’s the better solution?

Take from the poor via cutting services and benefits or taking from the rich via their unpaid taxes.

Alas, most voters appear to be pro-rich and anti-poor.

Molly Clare

via email

POLITICS

Socialists don’t understand tax

Jeremy Corbyn boasts that capitalism has had its day, and that the future is socialism. Now where have we heard that before?

Mr Corbyn, what’s wrong with making money? Socialism has been rejected the world over.

Socialists do not understand taxation.

Since the Government reduced the top rate of tax from 50 to 40 per cent, tax revenue has increased. Socialists just can’t fathom that one. Tax paid by the top one per cent is responsible for 28 per cent of all revenue.

Brian Johnston

via email

SOCIETY

Lack of religion and mental health

Statistics regarding suicides and mental health issues for schoolchildren and university students are frightening.

I think it is right that all levels of society should be concerned about mental health issues. A recent survey on people’s religious beliefs made very sad reading.

Fifty-two per cent of people now say that they have no religion.

I am wondering if there is connection between the growth of mental health issues and a decline in religious belief? I suspect that there is.

Canon Michael Storey

Address supplied

POLITICS

Power-sharing needs reviving

DUP leader Arlene Foster should be barred from Brexit negotiations until she and her party have revived the Stormont power-sharing assembly in Northern Ireland, and which can then negotiate on NI’s behalf.

Thomas Reed

via email