YP Letters: No fear of EU threats or of a no-deal exit

THE EU is a failed experiment. Its administration has already bankrupted Greece and Italy is on the brink of financial disaster.

The EU is not democratic nor is it benevolent to its subjects, and its management is similar to that of the old Soviet Union.

Over the last two years the EU has been intransigent; obstructing rather than negotiating. The main problem now is uncertainty and a second referendum would prolong that uncertainty and the result resolve nothing.

If we don’t reach agreement we obviously haven’t got a deal. So no deal would be a fact, not a decision to be made.

Whether we agree a deal or not by March 29, most of the work is still to be done. The key differences are that with no deal we regain control of £39bn and there is no backstop.

No deal is not to be feared and plans have been made for that eventuality. British people do not like being threatened and they were not intimidated by unfounded alarming predictions made in David Cameron’s pro-Remain glossy leaflet delivered to every household in the UK prior to the 2016 referendum. And we will not be intimidated now.

From: Canon Michael Storey, Healey Wood Road, Brighouse.

I LISTENED to The World This Weekend at lunchtime. It included many interviews in Doncaster. Seemingly, constant confusion reigns supreme in Doncaster as in the rest of the UK.

Some people said that “we”, the UK, had voted “to leave”, others wanted a “People’s Vote”. It appeared that the good people interviewed hadn’t realised that only 37 per cent had voted “to leave”. No one suggested what the options would be for a “People’s Vote”. The chaos resulting from David Cameron’s foolish plan seems to have no end.

From: David Schofield, Highfield Drive, Garforth.

AFTER reading the letter from your correspondent James Bovington (The Yorkshire Post, February 8) regarding Brexit and a second referendum, it seems to me that all he is doing is repeating the rhetoric we hear so often from those who seek to ignore and overturn the will of the people. We had a referendum, and the majority voted to leave the EU. That is called democracy, Mr Bovington. In his letter he goes on to bring out the old chestnut of giving a vote to 16 and 17-year-olds if we were to have his longed for second “People’s Vote”.

This the group who are usually full of ideology with virtually no experience of life. How many have the burden of managing a budget, the responsibility of having a mortgage or bringing up children? Many seem to be preoccupied with mental health issues, self harming, gender identity, gang culture and addiction to social media? The list is endless.

From: Phyllis Capstick, Hellifield.

RATHER than raising the voting age to 20 (Barrie Crowther, The Yorkshire Post, February 9), I think that the best idea of all would be to raise it to 25. By that time, school children and students would have seen a little bit of real life and what it takes to make a living.

Hospital staff appreciated

From: Mike Forster, Hands Off HRI.

HANDS Off HRI campaigners gathered outside Huddersfield Royal Infirmary to show their support and appreciation for all the hard-working staff in the run-up to Valentine’s Day. Personal messages of support had been collected from members of the public addressed to all the staff.

There were many heartfelt messages thanking the hospital and the staff for saving their lives or carrying out crucial operations. As ever, the campaign group was overwhelmed with the huge support expressed by so many people. Two campaigners were invited into the hospital to deliver not only the messages in person, but also many bags of food, chocolate and cake collected to distribute around all the staff. Campaigners were joined by Paula Sherriff MP for Dewsbury who delivered messages of support from all the area’s MPs. The hour-long presence outside the hospital took place despite terrible winds and torrential rain but spirits remained buoyant.

Our presence was to reassure staff that we will hold the Trust to account and will not allow them to get away with these latest shambolic ideas. We are drawing up our own detailed specialist case for full acute and emergency provision at HRI as well as Calderdale and we will use this evidence to pressure the Trust and Health Scrutiny Committee to ensure the resources are released to properly staff HRI.

We want to thank the staff and the wider public for their unflinching support for our campaign which will continue until we have won.

Creeping commercials

From: John McCloy, New Lane, Burton Salmon, Leeds.

JOHN Priestley (The Yorkshire Post, February 9) is not alone in being fed-up with adverts between programmes on TV – and they are just as annoying on the BBC radio.

Is there any proof that such adverts attract more listeners? And why do some have background music on these announcements – even the radio weather forecasts have it now?

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

THE controversy continues about whether or not the over-75s should have free TV licences (The Yorkshire Post, February 9).

The BBC transmits so many adverts for its future programmes that it may as well go commercial and become more financially viable and allow lonely pensioners to continue their viewing, often the only contact they have with the outside world.