Letters - April 30, 2020

I was told 40 years ago that to survive in industry we must be more flexible in our approach to work. This meant changes to our working practices and as a trade union shop steward I supported these changes.

Our managers took up the slogan, “Don’t work harder work smarter”. This must have worked as I remained employed by the same company for 35 years.

During the recent Covid 19 lockdown the media have reported instance after instance of just how inflexible we have become. The first was a milk shortage in supermarkets while at the same time dairy farmers were pouring milk down the drain. This was blamed on supply chain issues and contracts.

We were invited to join the bulk purchase of PPE equipment through the European Union and our media reported that our Government did not even reply to the invitation.

A UK manufacturer switched production to making PPE but received no orders from the UK and ended up exporting them to the Republic of Ireland; you could not make it up.

I must after saying this congratulate McLaren Formula One, Airbus and Ford for producing much needed ventilators for hospitals. This shows UK industries can still be flexible and respond quickly to ever changing demands.

The UK economy will need to recover quickly after lockdown.

To do this we have to get away from the blame culture we have imported from America.

Our managers hide behind contracts and sub contractors so they have someone else to blame.

The bureaucracy simply holds us back.

Kevan Benfold

Blackpool Liberal Democrats

Virus

Covid-19 - die has already been cast

Of course social distancing and being in lockdown is unpleasant and annoying for the majority who have abided by the government’s advice, advice based on expert scientific recommendations.

Fostered in part by those who have blatantly and arrogantly refused to follow the above advice there is a growing demand to ignore social distancing and lockdown because the pandemic may have peaked.

Support is also coming from business and political circles. It is based on economics and a desire to ‘return to normality’. Irresponsible people are putting the need to protect the economy before the health of the nation.

The truth is that our and the global economy have already been dealt a very serious and grievous blow. It will take many, many years to recover from its effects.

What faces us in the months ahead will exceed the problems associated with recent austerity years and will probably match the disastrous Great Depression of 1929-34.

The die is already cast. Hence, to risk a second wave of the virus by relaxing our current vigil would result in a calamity of gargantuan proportions.

This is in no way to diminish what we are going through but people’s lives are more important than reopening schools, meeting in large congregations or returning to the workplace.

An easing of the current restrictions should only be declared when there is credible scientific evidence that the virus has died out and not mutated.

Dr Barry Clayton

Thornton Cleveleys

Anniversary

Let’s mark 75th VE Day at home

The Garstang Town Council, together with other local organisations, had hoped to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe on Friday, May 8, with events throughout the weekend.

Obviously with all the lockdown measures in force, that will no longer be possible although should the situation change in the next three to four months, it may be possible to arrange an event in August when the war in the Far East came to an end and all hostilities ceased.

In place of national events, ideas to help us celebrate at home have been devised and, if you wish to join in, remembering that May 8 is now the Bank Holiday, having been brought forward from May 4, please tune into local radio which will be running programmes throughout the day.

On the internet, you can also visit The Big Neighbourhood V.E. Day Family Festival at Home for ideas of how you can decorate your home and take part in a National Party, remembering especially to toast “those who gave so much, we thank you” at 3pm on May 8, being the hour that Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced to the world that Germany had surrendered.

Britain, its allies and the countries of the British Empire had been at war since September 1939 and the country was exhausted. Those of a certain age will remember blackouts and ration books which were a part of life until the early 1950.

The country certainly pulled together and overcame the Nazi tyranny, just as we will the secret virus enemy we now face.

Roger Brooks

via email