Letters - October 25, 2017

As the EU continues to be intransigent over Brexit negotiations, the Government should be fully prepared to walk away with no deal rather than agree to a bad deal.

The Government would certainly have the support of the British people.

According to a new Sky Data poll, a large majority of the public believes that ‘no deal is better than a bad deal’.

A massive 74 per cent agreed the country should walk away rather than accept a bad ‘punishment’ deal. Just 26 per cent think ‘any deal is better than no deal’.

As Justice Minister Dominic Raab has said, the UK must ‘strive for the very best outcome from these negotiations, but prepare for all eventualities’.

It is worrying, therefore, that the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, wrote that he will only spend money on preparing for a ‘no-deal scenario’ just before such a scenario should arise.

The responsible action to take would be to ensure that we are prepared for a no-deal scenario now, and not wait until the last minute.

We hope that the UK and EU negotiating teams will reach a deal that benefits both sides.

Indeed, it is in their interest to do so.

However if we want to get a good deal, we have to be willing and able to walk away from the negotiations.

If, because of EU bullying, the UK and EU agree to a bad deal, then Britain will be saddled with the terms of the deal for decades.

J Barraclough

Address supplied

ALLITTS

Sorry to hear about closure

I am sorry to hear the news that after 27 years Allitt Estate Agency has gone into liquidation.

It is a sad day for the staff and the home owners who had their property for sale with Allitts.

I opened Allitt Estate Agency in 1990 on returning to the Fylde coast after working as an estate agent in London.

However in 2003 I sold Allitts to Broomheads Estate Agency, who continued trading under my name.

Now as managing director of Oystons Estate Agency I have been able to offer jobs to some of those who have been made redundant.

I would also like to extend an invitation to any home owners who may have been for sale with Allitts to contact my office and I will give them my personal help.

Kevin Allitt

Managing Director
Oystons Estate Agency

TRANSPORT

Stop dumping 
raw sewage

Rail Union RMT has written to the chief executive of Network Rail demanding clear assurances that the filthy and disgusting practice of dumping raw sewage on Britain’s railway tracks will end by a clearly defined cut-off point with no exemptions or derogations.

RMT has written the letter after Mark Carne told the press that the practice would be phased out by next year – a pledge that RMT wants turned into a cast-iron guarantee with an assurance that punitive action will be taken against those train companies that attempt to flout it.

RMT also wants assurances that train companies will not be allowed to duck the issue by simply stripping out their toilets and replacing them with seats as has happened in the past on the south coast.

RMT has fought long and hard to end the filthy and disgusting practice of dumping human waste on Britain’s railways for many years now and we are sick and tired of being fobbed off with warm words and vague targets.

We want cast-iron guarantees and we want them now.

It is outrageous that wealthy, profiteering private train companies have been allowed to get away with this for so long.

The financial responsibility for ending this scandal should fall to the rail merchants and not the British taxpayer.

If it’s good enough for rail workers in Scotland to have a guarantee that they will not be sprayed with raw sewage out on the tracks from the end of this year then why not the workforce in England in Wales?

The Government cheerleaders at the self-styled Rail Delivery Group are quick to stick the boot into Britain’s guards when they stand up for public safety.

It is time for them to get their house and their industry in order and show some support for the workforce for whom a dousing with faeces from a passing train is a regular occurrence.

Mick Cash

General Secretary
RMT

FINANCES

Disparity over rates of interest

I find the enormous disparity in rates of interest for borrowing money today very difficult to grasp.

Mortgages for house purchases are almost zero per cent, personal loans from banks around three per cent, credit cards between 20 to 30 per cent.

Yet in comparison, the now widely used payday loan rates seem astronomical.

When will the Government tackle this serious social problem?

DS Boyes

Address supplied