Letters - Thursday October 8, 2020

I have written to my MP about the Agricultural Bill which is going through Parliament.

I am very worried this will undermine the UK food producers/farmers if inferior food products are allowed to be imported into this country, for example hormone implanted beef, which was banned from usage on EEC farms in the early 1980s.

By allowing these cheap substandard products into this country, this could possibly put at risk the health of our nation, at the same time as leading to our farms – with their high health and welfare standards of livestock – becoming uneconomical, as at present under the current EU rules and regulations.

The powers-that-be currently running our country in the future seem to want to prioritise the countryside (the farmers’ work place) towards producing bees, butterflies and wild flowers rather than producing food to feed our nation.

In my opinion, these sort of decisions are totally wrong for the following reason.

The Government in power at the present time needs to realise we are an island, and after Brexit we will be standing independently in the world.

At the present time we are only 60 per cent self-sufficient in food if the worst comes to the worst, this has gone from being 85 per cent self-sufficient in the 1980s.

As a retired farmer, I ask MPs to remember you have an obligation to make sure we will at least be able to feed our own nation and it is for this reason I urge you to reject this Bill.

Chris Morton

Address supplied

Media

BBC is actually a real bargain

I have enjoyed listening to on the radio and watching TV on the BBC for free for the last 12 years. I have now received an invoice to subscribe for the next 12 months. 365 days less than 50 pence a day - what a bargain.

Drama: theatre tickets cost more. Films: a cinema seat costs more. Sport: football entrance fee is more. A game of bingo, a packet of fags and a pint of beer are all more.

The fee is to cover the costs of presenters, producers, writers, artists, musicians, scene makers. It provides employment and pay for technicians, electricians, joiners,etc. You have seen the list of credits. And let’s not forget the tea lady.

The BBC does not have shareholders like Sky, Virgin, Netflix, BT, or ITV.

The fee for ITV is in the costings of the merchandise to be advertised. Everybody pays when they purchase the item.

Anthea Fairhurst

Via email

Trump

How many at risk from this spreader?

The behaviour of Donald Trump defies belief. He is telling people that the virus is not that serious and not to let it dominate their lives.

Try telling that to the families of the 210 000 Americans who have died!

Try telling that to other Covid patients who are living with long Covid!

How many people in The White House are at risk from this super-spreader? How many who were in the rose garden and are now testing positive because they did what he said are now regretting it? He boasts of the American medics. This super sponger who avoids paying tax has his treatment funded by the American taxpayer. He has a full panel of doctors at his beck and call and full medical facilities available.

He has also had the latest drugs not available to others.

What about the poor people from whom he has stripped Obamacare and replaced it with nothing? The poor people who cannot afford medical insurance. They get nothing. He shows complete and utter contempt. It also looks like the doctors are not running this because he thinks that he is God and can do anything he likes. He only cares about himself. He only represents himself.

Terry Bennett

Dinmore Avenue

Blackpool

Virus

Rich could help the film industry survive

Whoever has decided that withholding new films such as the latest James Bond offering must surely see the potential consequences with the Cineworld decision to mothball facilities.

What is the risk that customers never come back? Surely, the film industry as a whole can help itself as a worldwide multi-billion dollar business; it certainly cannot wail at Governments for bailouts?

Likewise, the Royal Opera House decision to flog a painting for the price of a Premier League substitute is a pragmatic business decision.

The more I read about the arts and the music business, I cannot help be left with the impression that the mega-rich could certainly do far more to support those struggling at the bottom.

Steve Wilson

address supplied