THERE is no consistency in the decisions and policies being put forward by the Government in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. They apply different rules to areas supposedly in the same category depending on how vociferous the local politicians are, and what they think they can get away with. They claim to have scientific evidence and backing for their policies and actions, but are loathe to let anyone see the evidence. They habitually refer to conversation and discussions with local representatives that are routinely denied by those same local representatives. Their decisions and policies are never clear and precise and always need clarification. They constantly over-estimate their achievements and massage the figures to meet their overblown predictions. At a time when the country needs to work and act together, trust in the Government has been severely eroded. People will only accept being misled for so long. If the Government has strong, reliable evidence for its decisions, then make it available and stop trying to railroad the country with half-truths and cover-ups for fantasy facts. From: J Large, Scarborough. IT’S now tiers from the Government and we, the general public, have been shedding tears by the bucket load. Millions of pounds thrown at the virus and people’s lives have been shattered, businesses lost, jobs gone, families torn apart and suicides rising. The people telling the public how to go about our daily lives are not losing any money – and everyone needs money – Covid-19 or not. Serco is running the track and trace app, not the NHS, on behalf of HM Government. It’s costing millions and it does not work, self isolation measures do not work, lockdowns do not work. Until a vaccine is found we have to learn to live alongside the virus. I work on the premise that the air is sour, so – to me – it’s common sense to wear a mask when out in public. If our Government doesn’t work with local councils and goes ahead with their view then we go into the path of dictatorship, not democracy. Covid-19 is horrible, but we must work together to see light at the end of the tunnel. From: Peter Lewis, Giles Street, Netherthong, Holmfirth. RESTAURATEUR Yotam Ottolenghi and West Midlands metro mayor Andy Street rightly highlight the punitive inequity of financial support for businesses in areas recently placed in Tier 2. Meanwhile our part of West Yorkshire (Kirklees) has been in local lockdown since the end of July, now Tier 2 (whose terms are if anything less restrictive than they were). Throughout, not only was there no headline-leading outcry, but nothing similarly special was done by Westminster to help us economically here at all. North-South, same storm different boats, political gamesmanship, lack of a Yorkshire-wide regional mayor? Covid-19, while equally unfair, is neither so discerning nor so discriminatory. From: Peter Hyde, Driffield. THE current pandemic is like a war where people are in danger of serious illness and death, and yet our politicians are still playing party politics instead of working together to defeat the ‘‘enemy’’. It matters not what political party is in power as the virus has no respect for parties. Why on earth can’t grown-up men and women behave like the adults they are supposed to be? Until such time as politics is put to one side, we shall continue to fail in efforts to win this war. From: Barry Foster, High Stakesby, Whitby. I AM at a loss with our MPs at present. They are to have a pay rise in April and they have voted for children not having free school meals. I do not expect them to have any real idea what poverty is and why these children should be given free meals. Perhaps they ought to be visiting these places and begin to earn some of the pay rises they are getting. I have over many years of my life never seen, or heard, anything like the decisions now being made. From: Peter Rickaby, West Park, Selby. OVER centuries politicians have shown themselves wanting in times of crisis. Many see them as opportunities to appear sincere, but are in fact “grandstanding” their own egos. The Covid-19 pandemic is a classic illustration. Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click here to subscribe.