YP Letters: George Osborne's many Budget white elephants

RATHER than rob the poor, George Osborne should take a close look at the worth of pet Government schemes like HS2, Trident and the building of nuclear power plants, in order to make massive savings.

HS2 is flawed and is not worth the massive financial outlay for the jobs created or journey times reduced. Trident is a complete waste of taxpayers’ money while nuclear power stations are too expensive and generate electricity at too high a cost for consumers.

Also, billions of pounds could be saved for the Exchequer, and nullify the need to further impoverish the poorest, by the British people voting to withdraw from the European Union in June’s referendum.

From: Duncan Anderson, Mill Lane, East Halton, Immingham.

WHERE does the buck stop? When elected in May 2010, George Osborne promised that the economy would be back in working order by May 2015 and we only needed the short, sharp shock of austerity to achieve this.

Since then, he has blamed everybody for failing to keep his promise. When will he admit that this economic experiment of austerity is an abject failure?

Isn’t it about time the Chancellor of the Exchequer grew a spine and admitted his mistakes and failures?

From: Coun Tim Mickleburgh (Lab), Grimsby.

I’M concerned about the forthcoming National Living Wage. Those under 25 will be exempt from its introduction, and thus there is the danger that employers will choose to take on younger people rather than their more experienced counterparts.As a result, older jobseekers could have an even more difficult time trying to find work.

Wilson fondly remembered

From: Jean Lorriman, Huddersfield.

HUDDERSFIELD University organised a wonderful day of events to mark the centenary of the birth of Harold Wilson by inviting his son, Robin and his wife and twin granddaughters to the occasion. There was a visit to his birthplace and his old grammar school Royds Hall. My mother attended this school and was the same year as Harold and would regale my sister and myself with tales of his early brilliance – questioning anything and everything!

I even taught at Royds Hall for a little while. We attended the lovely service at St Peter’s and went from there to the University to hear the lecture by Alan Johnson MP. The place was packed to the rafters and Johnson did not disappoint. He neither bragged nor complained about his very disadvantageous start in life but was clearly proud of his rise from postman to Health Secretary and various other government posts. He is the embodiment of what Harold Wilson wanted people from humble beginnings to achieve.

His speech was warm, funny and serious and he fielded questions effortlessly. The last question was particularly poignant when a lady referred to Harold’s kindness to her and her family when they were experiencing great difficulties. Alan Johnson acknowledged all the good qualities she spoke of. It brought the lecture to a lovely end and must have left the Wilson family feeling very proud.

Somehow those days seemed happier and more hopeful.

From: Derek Hollingsworth, Darton, Barnsley.

INTERESTING answer to your question (The Yorkshire Post, March 12). “Is Harold Wilson Yorkshire’s greatest ever post-war politician?” 14 per cent Yes 86 per cent No!

Perhaps you should ask the question again, but with a supplementary. Who would you nominate ahead of him?

A bit of brain-wracking throws up Roy Mason, David Blunkett, William Hague and John Prescott, none of whom I would rate as greater than Wilson.

Key role of parents

From: Neil Richardson, Moorside Road, Huddersfield.

IN your article regarding a Global Education and Skills Forum (The Yorkshire Post, March 12), one of the leading experts on education was so keen to promote teachers and their skills that the topic of parents didn’t appear once in his commentary. For more than a decade, don’t mum and dad have a 24/7 role in developing character?

DIY SOS in Huddersfield

From: Keith Wigglesworth, Highburton, Huddersfield.

SHOULD events fly in the face of reason and the A&E department at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary does close, there is likely to be at least one positive outcome...and that is the fact that my wife, learning from past experiences, will forbid any of my plans for future DIY projects, on the grounds that I could well bleed to death before getting even halfway to Halifax!

Sack the team

From: Rev Neil McNicholas, Yarm.

WHEN is a football club owner going to come along who has the courage and conviction to keep the manager and sack all the useless players?