YP Comment: Prime Minister under pressure

THIS week is make or break for David Cameron as he seeks to secure the reforms that will convince the country that its future lies in Europe. Already, however, the signs are far from encouraging.

Last night’s talks with French president Francois Hollande aimed to win support for Britain’s demand that non-euro countries be given a veto over proposals to make the euro the more significant currency in the EU.

Yet France has made it clear that it will resist anything which looks like special treatment for the City of London. As such, it would be naive to consider Mr Hollande an ally.

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Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was wheeled out to bolster the “remain” campaign, but his warning that the EU would punish Britain for leaving sounded an excellent argument for doing just that.

His claim that “Brexit” could lead other member states to leave was music to the ears of the “out” brigade. Faith in the European project and its benefits to Britain has become so denuded that many long to see its collapse and an end to perceived Franco-German dominance.

Mr Hammond’s intervention also added to the simmering resentment among Eurosceptics angry that Mr Cameron allows pro-EU ministers to speak in favour of staying in but is blocking anti-EU ministers from speaking out until after the Cabinet meets following this week’s crunch summit.

Boris Johnson insists the UK can flourish outside the EU on the back of booming exports to non-EU markets, while a host of Cabinet Ministers are apparently lining up to campaign for Brexit moments after a deal is done in Brussels.

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Even Mr Cameron’s own legal officer, Attorney General Jeremy Wright, is said to be “50/50” over which side to join as he fears the PM’s reforms fail to sufficiently reassert British supremacy over EU law.

It is not until Thursday that Mr Cameron will sit down with European leaders and attempt to reach agreement on the concessions he believes can convince the public to vote for Britain’s continued membership of the EU.

But already it feels as though he will need to pull a rabbit from the hat.

Beam them up

Yorkshire named laser hot spot

THE motivation for shining a high-intensity laser at an aircraft is difficult to fathom. But whether it is a childish prank or the actions of a middle-aged planespotter, it is still a glaring example of sheer idiocy.

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In the case of the New York-bound Virgin Atlantic flight that was forced to return to London after one of its pilots was affected by a beam shone into the cockpit, a serious incident was mercifully avoided.

Yet with incidents of this kind on the increase, it is surely only a matter of time before the outcome is far more grave.

In 2010 a law was passed which allows offenders to be charged with “shining a light at an aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract the pilot”.

However, the difficulty is catching them in the first place. Identifying the spot from which such a laser was shone is all but impossible for a moving aircraft.

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In America, the authorities have had some success by subsequently sending up a helicopter to draw the laser and then identify the perpetrator.

With Leeds-Bradford Airport being one of the country’s hot spots for such incidents, perhaps West Yorkshire Police should consider employing similar tactics where resources allow.

What must certainly happen is that anyone caught flashing a laser at an aircraft is given an exemplary sentence which takes into account the catastrophic events their stupidity could trigger.

It is the only way to get through to those who are clearly too dim to grasp the recklessness of their actions.

Pricey parenting

Cost of raising children soars

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ANY parent who has ever accused their children of “eating them out of house and home” may, it turns out, have been on to something.

New research estimates the cost of raising a child to the age of 21 to now be more than the price of an average semi-detached home.

Of course, every prospective parent should be aware of this and budget accordingly.

Those who have children without being able to afford them are guilty of failing their offspring before they are born, as well as proving a drain on society.
Yet for all the latest toys and expensive clothes that can ramp up the costs associated with raising a family, there is one thing that every child craves – the unconditional love of their parents.

And although priceless, that does not cost a penny.