Letters - April 17, 2019

Brexit mess not the fault of councillors
Are you voting in the local elections?Are you voting in the local elections?
Are you voting in the local elections?

I hope that Mr David Gibbs might think again about destroying his poll card for the local elections (Your Say, April 11).

The election in May is for local councillors not the MPs who are busy on all sides of the Chamber in Parliament creating chaos over Brexit.

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It is local councillors who take your complaints to the town hall, that get your drains unblocked, lobby for safer roads, appeal unwanted planning applications, join in anti-dog mess campaigns and invest their ward budgets into improving our communities, parks and neighbourhoods.

It’s local councillors who will fight for your rights with parking, speeding, anti-social behaviour, crime, and housing. They will speak for you at licensing and planning hearings, help get rid of any fly-tipping, get pot-holes filled and roads re-surfaced.

They will fund equipment for local schools, help the elderly with mobility problems, deal with noisy neighbours, support community centres and youth clubs and even get your broken street light repaired.

So, whether you voted In or Out don’t blame your local councillor whatever party they belong to, judge them for who they are personally and what you think they will do for your community. These are people who want to help you and never ask which side of the political fence you sit. By not voting for the right local councillor you are making a huge mistake. Local councillors can’t fix Brexit, change the world, stop wars, change hate to love or unite religions - they don’t even have a real say on national politics. Just like you I am sure they are mad, confused and tired of this drawn out Brexit fiasco. However, unlike MPs they are here for you 365 days per year.

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So please vote for your neighbourhood, community and family by choosing the right local councillor in May. then when the May elections come round if your local MP hasn’t done their job tell them to stuff it.

name and address 
supplied

TRANSPORT

My experience 
is the opposite

I was surprised to read that Blackpool Transport is a favourite among passengers and is considered excellent in staff training and awareness.

As a regular disabled user of the service my experience is exactly the opposite.

After suffering a stroke, I am obliged to use a mobility scooter for which I hold a pass to allow use on buses and trams.

Brian Massey

via email

BREXIT

We need to agree 
a compromise

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Recent correspondents complain of the loss of sovereignty caused by EU membership and betrayal of the 2016 referendum result.

The UK’s ability to punch above its weight has been enhanced by our senior role in the EU, along with Germany and France, indeed it has complemented our leading role in NATO, as well as in security matters. Betrayal? This assumes that referendum results are set in stone.

The 1975 referendum result clearly was not, so why should the 2016 result be? Brexiteers pontificate about the will of the ‘people’. The ‘people’, numbering 17.4 million, or just over a third of the total electorate, are in fact a minority, if a very substantial one.

There seems to be no acknowledgement of the other substantial minority, 16.1 million, or the fact that the country as a whole is split over this issue, in particular the Tories. Surely, this is the time to accept that no ‘faction’ can achieve all of its goals, and to agree to a pragmatic compromise.

John Van der Gucht

Address supplied

BREXIT

Even Larry the cat could do better

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Please God I pray that someone takes over soon from Theresa May. Even Larry the Downing Street cat (pictured) could not have made such a dog’s breakfast of Brexit as the Prime Minister.

John Wallace

via email

BREXIT

No wonder small countries so keen

With attention starting to focus on possible European elections in the UK, it is worth considering the undemocratic allocation of MEPs.

Ireland has 11 MEPs, and will get two more if Brexit happens. So, that’s currently 11 MEPS for five million people. However, for example Yorkshire as a whole has a population of over five million and yet it only gets six MEPs. In fact – it gets the same number of MEPs as Luxembourg, which has a population of just 600,000. Five large member countries (including the UK) contribute 70 per cent of the budget of the EU.

Small countries, such as Ireland (and Luxembourg), are getting a lot of representation for very little contribution, which probably explains their enthusiasm for the EU project.

Tim Hunter

via email

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