Letters - October 30, 2019

On behalf of Alzheimer’s Society I would like to say a huge and heartfelt thank you to your readers for uniting against dementia by supporting Blackpool Memory Walk. We are so grateful to all the walkers and volunteers who made the event possible.

Around 2,250 people in Blackpool are estimated to be living with dementia and 850,000 are affected UK-wide.

Dementia devastates lives. Every penny raised through Blackpool Memory Walk will help Alzheimer’s Society provide vital information and support, improve care, fund research and create lasting change for people affected by the condition.

Blackpool Memory Walk has already raised over £60,000 with sponsorship still coming in, helping us in our commitment to invest £150m into research over the next decade.

If you didn’t get a chance to take part in Memory Walk, our annual Elf Day festive fundraiser will be taking place on Friday December 6, so make sure you get your best Christmas costume ready. Please visit alzheimers.org.uk/elfday for more information, and we look forward to seeing you at Memory Walk 2020!

Sue Swire

Alzheimer’s Society, Lancashire Community Fundraiser

BREXIT

Bishop justified in criticising language

The Archbishop of Canterbury (pictured) has justifiably criticised the inflammatory language that is being used by our politicians. The PM is one of the worst culprits. It is he says dividing the country.

Listening the other day to him and Jeremy Corbyn exchanging their widely differing views reminded me of the time I witnessed two bald men arguing over the ownership of a comb.

Brexit will prove to be this country’s biggest error of modern times. The Referendum resulted in a vote to leave by a very narrow margin on the basis of lies and manipulation.

Two recent major surveys by leading universities clearly show what has been known for many months. Over 73 per cent of those who voted to leave did so knowing they knew next to nothing about the EU, and did so in order to stop inward immigration. This of course is hotly denied but it is true nevertheless.

The EU upsets Little Englanders and those who believe we won the Second World War. The EU didn’t cause austerity, it doesn’t harm the NHS and it is not responsible for the rise in knife crime. We are responsible for those and many more besides.

Our history is a remarkable one and in parts an honourable one but it is not unsullied. It is not a story of global greatness without serious blemish. Too many of those who want us to leave the EU believe that by so doing we will be able to dress ourselves once more in global greatness. They are going to be very, very disappointed. We discarded those clothes in 1918.

Meanwhile the childish sniping goes on in the gladiatorial ring we call Parliament. Boris Johnson thinks he is Churchill and dons his faux buffoonery. Few trust him for good reason. In the red corner, Marxist Corbyn counts his remaining days before he is ousted by McDonnell, another Marxist and a very devious one. The coup has been hatching for months.

This is a seriously polarised nation. Aliens will not bother us. They took a look a long time ago and fled home. Who can blame them.

Dr Barry Clayton

Thornton Cleveleys

BREXIT

Accept democratic vote and leave EU

Mr Bovington (Your Say, October 25) is so confident of Remoaners winning a new referendum he proposes changing the rules to enable that to happen - and where does it say we will be imprisoned on our own little island?

The truth is the world will be as open as it has always been. Before the referendum David Cameron got ‘concessions’ from the EU and then spent £9m telling each household why we should stay in and we still voted to leave. We didn’t vote to leave with a deal we voted to LEAVE.

Instead of moaning, accept a fair democratic leave vote, and let’s all get behind this once democratic country and put the Great back in front of Britain.

Neil Butterworth

Merlyn Road