Letters - Saturday February 13, 2021

I cannot believe we’re back in this situation again. Time is running out and the Government and our MPs must do the right thing to make sure that no child goes hungry on Monday when the half-term holidays start.

Last month, the Government told local schools they “do not need to provide lunch parcels or vouchers” over half-term.

MPs and the Prime Minister condemned the disgraceful food parcels that hungry children were given a few weeks ago only to now leave those very same children without free school meals during the school holidays.

The Government’s own guidance is clear – relying on the Covid Winter Support Grant will not guarantee that every child who is eligible for free school meals will be fed during half term.

On the Government’s own terms, ministers are now leaving children at risk of going hungry on Monday.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, has said: “The Government’s constantly changing, badly thought out and last-minute schemes to help with holiday hunger during the Covid crisis is leaving families and children anxious that they literally don’t know where their next meal is coming from.”

Have our MPs not learnt from last half-term when local people rose up and helped raise over £14,000 in my fundraiser to ensure no child went hungry.

They must urgently clarify for local families how they will be helped during this half-term to ensure no child will go hungry.

Chris Webb

Blackpool

Community

Streets are for people, not cars

During the pandemic, people have rediscovered the simple act of walking – the oldest, cheapest and greenest transport there is.

It has allowed us to stay healthy, happy and connected to those around us.

But lots of us still struggle with narrow, cluttered, uneven pavements; crossings that prioritise cars rather than people; and growing numbers of speeding vehicles.

That’s why I support Living Streets’ Manifesto for Walking, which calls for candidates in our upcoming election to pledge to end pedestrian deaths and injuries on roads, tackle air pollution, make school streets safe and make walking easier by cutting the clutter on our pavements.

It is time we redesigned our streets around people not cars.

That way we can all continue to enjoy the benefits of walking and healthier, happier communities.

Bernard Kennedy

St Annes

politics

Only wonderful nation for some

Oh dear Mr Molloy, in your Gazette letter, to quote Shakespeare, “methinks you protest too much” in your rant on my observations regarding this Government that you think so highly of (Your Say, February 4).

I am not an expert on all things Covid nor do I pretend to be but even though I might disagree with your right wing views (and I do) even you must agree that the Government’s response to the pandemic this past year hasn’t exactly gone to plan (apart from the Covid vaccinations roll-out), with the dithering, slow decision-making and U-turns that have dogged the premiership of your glorious leader.

As for your remark concerning Russia, if we had a strong Government at the time of the dissidents’ poisonings, the London Russian embassy would have been closed by now and their so-called ‘diplomats’ would have all been sent packing.

And yes, I am sick and tired of listening to the same old political party line spin from politicians who talk down to the electorate like they were stupid.

And as for this green and pleasant land that you go on about, tell that to the poverty-stricken pensioners who can’t afford to heat their homes or the millions of children living in poverty and the food banks sprouting up all over the place to feed the poor.

Yes, Mr Molloy, it is a wonderful country to live in if you have the money and resources to comfortably live here.

As much as I disagree with your views, you are fully entitled to express them as you think fit in the knowledge that a completely impartial newspaper like theBlackpool Gazette will ‘publish and be dammed’ and that is the hallmark of a free press.

M Tipper

via email