Letters - September 10, 2018

Kick arms companies out of our schools

Arms companies are spending millions every year in an attempt to normalise their appalling business in the eyes of children at hundreds of schools.

Several of the world’s largest arms companies are sponsoring school events providing teaching materials promoting the military equipment sector, with one company even developing a missile simulator for children to play with.

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Raytheon, the fourth largest weapon firm in the world, runs an annual competition for kids to build model drones and Thales uses cartoon mascots called Raybot to promote educational tools.

When these companies are promoting themselves to the children they never mention about the deadly impact their weapons are having.

Many of them have profited from war and fuelled atrocities around the world.

Schools are vital to our society and should never be used as commercial vehicles for arms companies. It is time now for arms companies to be kicked out of the classroom.

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Arms companies are not targeting schools because they care about education. They are doing it because they want to improve their reputation and normalise their appalling business.

Staff from BAE Systems, whose weapons are currently being used in the Saudi-led bombardment of Yemen (pictured) visited 420 schools across Britain last year and the company even deployed CBeebies presenter Maddie Moate to promote the company at events. We must be able to do better than this.

Royston Jones

Anchorsholme

STRICTLY

Let me join this group of ‘unknowns’

Strictly Come Dancing’ judge Shirley Ballas says the new line-up is diverse.

Maybe so, but most of them have one thing in common – they’re unrecognisable.

I mean, Joe Sugg?

Vick Hope?

Charles Venn?

They’re new ones on me.

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Sure, there are some of them I have heard of, for example, Kate Silverton who reads the news, Dr Ranj from This Morning, one half of the Trinny and Susannah package and the heroine that is Katie Piper. The Paralympian Lauren Steadman is to be commended, too.

However, with all due respect to the above, I can’t predict any of the TV gold moments that we had with Ann Widdecombe, Ed Balls and Russell Grant. Still, to quote Shirley Ballas, again, I’ll give them a chance.

I have another suggestion to make.

How about slipping me in as one of their 2019 offerings?

I’d blend in nicely amongst all those (I don’t doubt) unknowns.

Also, and trust me on this one, I’d be so terrible that I’d be TV gold on a stick.

Any offers?

CM Langan

Address supplied

TRANSPORT

Tram stop repair delay is a farce

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While it is appreciated that The Gazette ran a small story regarding the condition of Little Bispham tram stop, it is disappointing to hear that there will be further delays to reinstate the building.

I am amazed that I witnessed no inspections/surveys being carried out throughout the summer, and only witnessed such activity this week.

We are now told that “work will start within the next few weeks and is expected to be finished within two months”, something I was told almost three months ago in various emails from the parties concerned.

So am I now to believe that though daylight hours are now getting shorter and we are approaching colder, wetter and windier weather, that there will be no occasions where work has to be stopped.

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The situation is a farce and undermines any respect for the organisations involved.

Mick o’Brien

Thornton Cleveleys

TRANSPORT

Guards on trains are essential

While I have every sympathy for those passengers who are facing misery thanks to the rail strikes, and I really do not agree with workers who strike, the removal of guards from trains is abhorrent and cannot help but put the travelling public at risk.

How can a driver deal with an emergency, such as a disturbance by drunks or someone taken ill?

The idea is simply a ruse to save money by the train operators.

Peter Hyde

Address supplied

POLITICS

I don’t believe a word you tell us!

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Am I alone is not believing a word Mrs May is gushing out on the Sailsbury Russian Novichok conspiracy?

After all, she lies all the time. She insisted ‘Brexit means Brexit’ and then delivered the Chequers plan.

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