Letters - Wednesday November 25, 2020

The Government has recently issued an assessment of the UK’s trading prospects with the EU following Brexit, whether or not there is a deal.

The assessment sets out a “reasonable worst-case scenario” for the UK’s borders.

This suggests that the flow of freight through the ports could be reduced by between 20 per cent and 40 per cent.

Trucks going in either direction could be delayed by up to two days – a big problem for fresh food.

If the ports become congested and the flow of goods is reduced, stockpiles will be required as food traders will need to build reserves to cover the likely shortfall in January and beyond.

For this they will require warehouse space.

The snag is that there isn’t any; most of the spare capacity has already been allocated for personal protective equipment prior to the current lockdown.

So, deal or no deal, disruption is likely to be severe and will hit the poorest and the weakest first and worst.

Boris Johnson and his gang of smug cronies (aka ‘the Government’) has yet to show any sign of concern. Do I detect a whiff of “I’m all right Jack”?

John Prance

address supplied

Politics

An open letter to Scott Benton MP

Dear Scott Benton MP. As my MP I am writing this open letter to urge you not to cut Universal Credit by £20 a week for families. Right now, families across Blackpool are struggling and many are relying on this money to get them through the crisis.

Hundreds of parents have lost their jobs or substantial amounts of income due to Covid-19 in Blackpool. These cuts will increase pressure on already tight household budgets.

This winter, food banks are expecting to give out an emergency parcel every nine seconds and the Trussell Trust have said cutting Universal Credit could increase already skyrocketing food bank use by a further 10 per cent.

In that context, it is unthinkable to take £20 a week, or £1,000 a year, from our town’s poorest households as unemployment continues to rise. Research from the Resolution Foundation has shown this cut would see the poorest households lose seven per cent of their disposable income.

I hope you agree with me that here in Blackpool it would be wrong to ask struggling families to shoulder this cut.

I urge you to give these families piece of mind and stop the cut to Universal Credit.

Your Government said they will do whatever it takes for our economy – I implore you to extend that approach to supporting Blackpool’s families and maintaining the £20 rise to Universal Credit.

Chris Webb

Blackpool

Politics

PM is abusing his position of power

I am increasingly saddened and annoyed at the ways in which the Prime Minister abuses his position to the detriment of the rules of law and fairness.

I can think of four examples:

, Not sacking Dominic Cummings when he breached Government guidelines during the first lockdown;

. Persuading the House of Commons to break the international agreement regarding the Good Friday Agreement;

. Not sacking Priti Patel as Home Secretary when she had breached Government guidelines;

. Considering reducing foreign aid from 0.7 per cent to 0.5 per cent of GDP.

In the “good old days” the United Kingdom was seen as being the country which set the standards for others to follow. Under Boris Johnson, those days are becoming fewer and fewer.

Canon Michael Storey

address supplied

Politics

Double standards right at the top

It strikes me that the standards being upheld by 10 Downing Street relies too much on how valuable you are to Boris Johnson rather than the usual standards.

Dominic Cummings flouted the rules on his trip to Durham and Barnard Castle and was safe in his job until he left.

Now Priti Patel is found guilty of bullying and is allowed to remain in post. Double standards indeed.

Peter Hyde

via email