Letters - Thursday, February 6, 2020

This date will be forever in my heart: January 31, 2020.

I will remember it as the day that Britain finally regained its national freedom, thanks to one - Nigel Farage.

For over 20 years, this man fought tirelessly for a referendum on our membership of the EU, creating a situation where David Cameron had no alternative but to agree to such a referendum in 2016.

Once again, with boundless energy, Farage arranged rallies and functions throughout the UK, revealing the true purpose and aims of the EU, having been an MEP himself for 20 years.

17.4 million voted to leave the EU - a majority of 1.3 million.

For all of us who wanted to leave, we owe Farage, his backers and all his supporters our undying gratitude.

Above all, I believe it is Boris Johnson who benefitted most from the hard work done by Farage, as it created a springboard for Boris’s political future as PM - after only three months in office!

Indeed the Conservative Party (especially members of the ERG) owe its very survival to the ‘unusual situation’.

The backcloth to the whole bizarre situation was created by Boris’s predecessor Theresa May - a staunch remainer.

Despite being the worst PM in living memory, her two greatest achievements were: 1) Being responsible for 95 per cent of the deal being finally accepted by the European Union.

2) Frustrating the country to fever pitch by delaying ANY progress for over three years.

After Theresa May had gone, the Conservatives had to call an election to increase their majority, which they did. Now led by a PM who wanted to leave the EU, the electorate who wanted to move on at any cost, and a deal now ready to be passed by the EU … it was full steam ahead.

Tribute must be paid to the man that started us thinking and gave so much of his time, money and energy to uncover all the deceit - Sir Jimmy Goldsmith.

Harvey Carter

Kirkham

TECHNOLOGY

We must all stay safe when online

Ofcom’s research shows the challenge of parents’ rising concern over children online – and highlights why Safer Internet Day is more important than ever.

We must be spurred on to initiate and continue important conversations that allow children to benefit from the empowering and educational opportunities the internet can offer, in the formats that suit them.

We know talking works; last year, 78 per cent of young people we surveyed felt

more confident about what to do if they were worried about something online as a result of conversations and lessons from Safer Internet Day.

With the internet being so central to our lives, we must ensure that learning how to stay safe online is something we do alongside young people.

So many of them are already harnessing the internet for good, through supporting causes, finding their own identity, and standing up for what they believe in online – we must follow this example to make the internet a positive place for all.

This Safer Internet Day, which takes place on Tuesday, February 11, we’re encouraging all parents and carers to join us in listening to young people’s experiences and encouraging conversations about our online lives.

Will Gardner OBE

Director at the UK Safer Internet Centre and CEO at Childnet

BREXIT

Tony Blair is real hero for ‘Leavers’

Now we have regained our national independence, it is time thank former Prime Minister Tony Blair for his vital contribution to the Leave cause.

In 2004, he signed an EU Constitutional Treaty. If there had been no such treaty, we should still be EU citizens.

In 2005, afraid to defend his unpopular treaty at a general election, he promised us a referendum.

Had that referendum been held, or had it not been promised, David Cameron would not have felt such a need to call a referendum in 2016.

Thank you Mr Blair; we could not have got out of the European Union without you.

M P Laycock

Address supplied

BREXIT

Thanks to folk who made it possible

I was pleased to see Brexit celebrated without triumphalism or malicious gloating. Just a day of quiet thanksgiving for those who made it possible:

Tony Blair, who allowed in even more European Union citizens than the EU required him to;

Gordon Brown, who was so open about his feelings regarding ‘that bigoted woman’;

David Cameron, who promised us the referendum on a Brexit he didn’t want and thought virtually impossible;

Former Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, who gave us the decisive general election;

And Sir John Major, who hadn’t lost his knack of getting the electorate to do the opposite of what he asked them.

John Riseley

via email

ENTERTAINMENT

Baftas about taste, not race

In response to Prince William’s remarks berating the Baftas for a lack of diversity, the awards are given in merit and nothing to do with ethnicity.

Personally my favourite film was Little Women which was beautifully portrayed and it hardly got a mention apart from costume design. Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman was long and boring. The stunts and special effects were amazing in the latest Star Wars film, and yet 1917 won the Bafta.

At the end of the day, it is personal choice.

Whenever a film has rave reviews from the critics, often it is disappointing and yet other films which are criticised are really enjoyable.

Janet Berry

address supplied