Letters - Monday, February 28. 2022

I’m sure that the sanctions imposed by ourselves and others will have some effect, but no doubt President Putin has organised to avert this problem having had sufficient notice.

Other sanctions need to be applied. No Russian passports should be recognised, therefore stopping any travel. All European airspace should ban Russian passenger planes and all landing rights should be cancelled.

These actions will tell the Russian people who are brainwashed to believe other things that what they hear isn’t the truth.

Ralph Lennard

via email

China has recently agreed to buy more gas from Russia. This new agreement is for 30 years and the gas is to be paid for in euros and dollars.

British pounds are not mentioned but might be acceptable?

There are two important points about this agreement.

Firstly it shows that China is in no hurry to reduce its use of fossil fuels and intends to continue releasing vast amounts of carbon dioxide and heat into the atmosphere, producing more climate change.

Secondly the money paid to Russia, in western currencies, will help to prop up the Putin regime.

Dennis Mackay

Address supplied

It beggars belief that Ukraine’s desire to join Nato was left to fester until too late – I wonder if Vladimir Putin would have dared to invade this democratic sovereign state if Ukraine was under Nato’s auspices.

Henry Cobden

via email

POLITICS

Reinstate animal protection law

As we are a nation of animal lovers, it’s hard to believe that UK law doesn’t currently recognise animals as being able to feel joy, pain, fear and excitement.

No-one who has ever seen a cow going outside for the first time after a winter indoors, a hen dust bathing, or a pig wallowing in a fresh patch of mud would be in any doubt that animals are sentient.

I am shocked that we even find ourselves in this position.

During the 1990s, Compassion in World Farming – a charity I have long supported – campaigned tirelessly on this issue, resulting in the recognition of animal sentience becoming enshrined in EU law and for this to be given full regard by governments when making and implementing policy. However, for the past year, following the UK’s departure from the EU, this important protection has been lost. As a vet, I just cannot comprehend that farm animals are currently only seen as ‘goods’ in the eyes of the law. It’s nonsensical.

Thanks to Compassion and other NGOs, MPs are currently debating the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill in Parliament. This will ensure that animals are once again legally recognised as sentient, thinking beings. The Bill has just passed its Committee Stage in the House of Commons, but we aren’t over the finish line just yet, so it’s vital MPs vote in support of the Bill when it has its final stages (March 7). We don’t need any more dither or delay. What we need is to reinstate the important principle of animal sentience in UK law.

Dr Emma Milne BVSC FRCVS

Vet and Supporter of Compassion in World Farming

JUSTICE

Axe concurrent sentences

Those who say concurrent sentences should be abolished and all should be served consecutively are spot on.

The situation simply highlights the total inadequacy of the justice system, which is far too heavily slanted in favour of the criminal rather than the victim. This really has to change.

We should continue by ensuring that all sentences are served in full, and for far more life sentences to be exactly that.

It is farcical that life sentences can still see culprits released within a relatively short number of years.

Bob Watson

via email

SOCIETY

My money wasn’t good enough...

There has been recent comment on this page about the problems of obtaining cash due to the closure of bank branches and the increasing withdrawal of ATMs, especially in rural areas.

This week I had a similar experience reversed. As far as I am aware legal tender is still legal, but clearly not in the pub I have used since the mid-Sixties.

I ordered a pint of ale, the character behind the bar pulled it and then refused to accept money. I was in the “I don’t use cards” phase and walked out. I don’t need to go back.

P A Sherwood

Address supplied

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