Letters - Tuesday, February 4, 2020

On Friday, I overheard so many daft conversations in Parliament Square. The kind of ill-informed information you would ordinarily expect to hear from the likes of Tommy Robinson.

There really was nothing to rejoice about, it was a sad day in constitutional history. The super wealthy and high profile characters like Jacob Rees-Mogg and the Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not attend the ‘Sweet Caroline’ pub sing-a-long gathering at Parliament Square. They left this duty to the narcissistic Nigel Farage to take centre stage alongside the eccentric Ann Widdecombe and Tim Martin (Mr Wetherspoon).

This was a cringeworthy carnival, the kind of singsong you would expect to hear in a pub garden after a football match .

I’m proud to have voted remain in the 2016 referendum and would support a campaign to re-join the EU should that opportunity arise in my lifetime . I’m pleased I was not fooled by the outrageous untruths peddled by those with a hidden agenda to leave the EU.

The saddest part is that the poorest members of society face the highest risks of suffering the most.

The complexities of negotiating trade agreements, services etc. could take many years of being placed in a disadvantaged limbo situation.

Limbo land is a dangerous and frustrating territory for any business. It prevents growth and offers little security. Foreign owned manufacturing industries based in the UK have been given the perfect excuse to plan exit strategies to leave Great Britain.

However the case is argued, debated or defended, as a nation, we are now placed in an unfortunate and disadvantaged position.

The NHS desperately needs the co-operative joined-up support from foreign workers and suppliers. Hostile mantras from crowds are hardly going to welcome or encourage positive immigration of doctors and nurses to the UK.

David Cameron deeply regrets the day he promised a referendum. A terrible act of self destruction. It was a vote on immigration. A vote handed to the public who were not told the true consequences of what now lies ahead .

Will the likes of the super rich Jacob Rees-Mogg truly give a toss about the hard working families in the Midlands and North who face foreseeable car plant and manufacturing industry closures?

Does Boris Johnson really care about the north of England?

‘Get Brexit Done’... as a consequence and the cyclical effect ... we’ve all been ‘done’ .

Stephen Pierre

Via email

APPEAL

Does anyone know Stuart Taylor?

I am looking to reconnect with Stuart Taylor who worked briefly in Blackpool Tower in 1987. He was 16/17 then and will be aged 49 now.

He later joined the RAF and was based in Brize Norton 90s/00s.

If anyone has any information please contact me by email [email protected]

Name and address supplied

POLITICS

A chamber of real working people

Mr Kavanagh’s letter, advocating the House of Lords, rings very true with a great many people in the country.

However, l would disagree with him on an important point. To replace one privileged group with another (lawyers) would make no difference.

In my humble opinion what we need is an elected chamber of real workers: nurses, bus drivers, builders, street sweepers etc.

People who know what’s going on, who have to get up in the morning to feed their families, pay the mortgage and all the other household bills.

A second house comprising elected people who have to strive to earn a living would really get Britain moving again.

Brian Massey

Blackpool

FOOD

Eating out’s a struggle

Re: Coeliac disease. Does the lack of understanding by cafes and restaurants make it difficult for us coeliacs to enjoy eating out, especially when we want a coffee and a snack?

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition, making wheat, gluten, barley, rye and oats intolerable to us. Corn and rice are acceptable. What is required to serve gluten-free food is a designated surface and utensils for preparing the food. It is a straightforward task.

To provide snacks is simple as there are so many foods available from supermarkets and suppliers.

When I first got diagnosed 25 years ago, gluten-free bread was mainly just available on prescription.

For snacks, gluten-free bread can be frozen into portions of slices and taken out of the freezer when required.

They can be toasted, buttered on the designated surface and the filling added.

For meals, serve meat and vegetables and substitute gluten-free gravy mix . Gluten-free pasta is available, as are the sauces. Vegan and vegetarian food are readily available.

So why is it so frustrating to eat out when you need gluten-free foods? I know of one local chip shop in my area which recently started serving gluten-free fish and chips and one cafe which serves gluten-free cake, thankfully.

I hope this will prompt other cafes to start serving us gluten-free food.

Patricia Langford

address supplied