Letters - Thursday, September 9, 2021

I am not against vaccines.

Over the years I have received many tried and tested vaccinations for various diseases, including protection for travelling abroad.

I am concerned that, by the time your readers view this letter, a decision will have been made by the Government (against the advice of the JCVI) that children aged 12 to 15 should receive a Covid-19 vaccine.

This is unprecedented. These are children, who have their whole lives ahead of them, being vaccinated with a substance which has unknown long-term effects on their health.

I urge all parents to think carefully and please do your own independent research before considering giving permission for your child to be vaccinated.

Anne Nightingale

via email

BREXIT

Unintended effect of Brexit

The triumphalism of Brexiters following the 2016 referendum tended to obscure the fact that, as a proportion of those eligible to vote, the leave tally was just 37 per cent.

It is probable that this percentage is declining rapidly as the evidence mounts that Brexit is an almost unmitigated disaster.

After nearly half a century of EU membership and over a quarter of a century in the single market, Britain had become an integral part of the European economy.

People, goods and components moved around freely.

Not any more.

Employers face large problems replacing continental employees who have gone home because they feel they are not wanted in this country. The phrase ‘supply chain problems’ is now commonplace. As a direct and predictable consequence of Brexit, Britain is economically, culturally, politically and diplomatically poorer.

However, there is a bright side. The Brexit induced labour shortage could lead to a revival of trade union bargaining power.

This is something that the wealthy backers of Brexit definitely did not intend.

John Prance

Lancashire

EDUCATION

Saving lives by learning in class

Calling all secondary school teachers in Lancashire, young people are now learning about saving lives.

Blood, organ and stem cell donation are now on the key stage 3 and 4 curriculum and we have some free online resources to help you teach this important topic to 11 to 16 year olds.

Your pupils can be empowered to discuss and decide about donation and we hope they’ll prompt conversations at home too.

Visit www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/teaching-resources to find out more, we have detailed lessons and optional extra activities.

You can also request a speaker, many of whom have a personal story linked to donation, to attend a school assembly.

Alex Cullen

Head of Marketing

NHS Blood and Transplant

ENTERTAINMENT

No idea who celebrities are

Having seen the list so far of those taking part in Strictly, with a vague recollection of a couple of them, I have no idea who the rest are. Clearly the bottom of the celebrity barrel was reached a few years ago. I’d like to suggest that my postman joins the Strictly line-up. I suspect a lot more people know him than some of the so-called celebrities.

Malcolm Nicholson

via email

POLITICS

Tory promises? This is a lie too far

Now Boris Johnson has ripped up his manifesto promise not to raise tax or National Insurance, please forgive me if I do not believe a word of the Tory policy blueprint at the next election.

This is one ‘lie’ too many.

Sam Willmott

via email

* The government’s increase of National Insurance is just another lie to add to all the others. I don’t believe a word they say – on anything.

Charlotte Hubbard

North Shore

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