Eurovision Song Contest shows exactly what Europe thinks of UK - Yorkshire Post letters

After watching the Eurovision Song Contest you begin to realise exactly what the rest of Europe think of the UK.

This is not a new experience, it has been going on ever since we joined the EEC, and later when Thatcher stood up to them that was the last straw. They have constantly blocked anything that the UK tried to get passed in the EU Parliament and we have never been an equal member of this German/French-run club.

Every one of the MPs who are trying to hold Britain to ransom by blocking any kind of deal to leave the EU should be sacked and banned from becoming an MP again until they understand the meaning of democracy.

Do the people of this country really think that the EU negotiators should just keep blocking any kind of deal that the UK try to negotiate?

We know that they have no intention of giving any ground.

Our negotiating team was far too weak and when things began to stall, they should have said, “We have no intention of rolling over, negotiate a reasonable deal, or we walk”.

But now the lily-livered MPs are insisting that the voters who went against their wishes should be ignored.

Does this mean that if the vote had been to remain, we would have been allowed to object and insist on another referendum? I don’t think so.

From: Paul Morley, Long Preston, Skipton.

If Mr Davies of Grimsby (The Yorkshire Post, Letters, May 17) is correct that, as per Hansard, the referendum was merely advisory, many of the Remain politicians will be guilty of misconduct in a public office.

Everything they said and put out in the media in the lead-up to the vote told us supposedly thick knuckle-dragging Leavers that we should be careful what we wished for, as the result of the referendum would be final and would be implemented by Government.

I won’t hold my breath waiting for any of these miscreants to be brought before a court, now that Mr Davies has kindly highlighted their crimes.

From: David Cragg-James, Stonegrave, York.

Further to the Remain/Leave debate, (The Yorkshire Post, Letters, May 20), what to me seems undeniable is that a too- vigorous defence of the Leave decision, matched by heartfelt, sometimes insulting arguments for Remain have forced an entrenchment which does justice to neither side.

We, the Remainers tend in our defence of the ideals at the heart of Europe, and the immense benefits, social, cultural and economic, we see as accruing to the UK as a result of our membership, to forget that all was not well in Europe.

I need only point to the Troika’s treatment of Greece as an example.

Those arguing in good faith for Leave in defence of an illusory sovereignty and independence have unintentionally spawned a raft of toxic groupings, thriving on a justified discontent with the status quo, which we must pray do not reflect their ideas and ideals.

Surely it is better, unambiguously to vote for what is positive and noble in what we have, while working together from within to reform that supranational entity which alone offers a way to uphold our values and combat those ills which beset us all.

Robins and the raptors

From: Roy Dresser, Rawcliffe.

I can emphasise with John Michael Babbings (The Yorkshire Post, May 18) with regard to the loss of young robins but do not quite understand his claim that there is no protection for songbirds, only raptors.

Songbirds and raptors are fully protected by law but that does not stop either from being illegally shot. Magpies are not raptors but are, at times, killed by raptors.

They certainly do take eggs and the young of songbirds but then so do red squirrels and woodpeckers, to name two.

From my experience the birds often targeted by magpies are the easy targeted nests and young of pigeons.

Think of how more butterflies would be seen if songbirds did not take so many of their young as caterpillars, and adults, but songbirds have to feed their young as does the magpie.

Outside the breeding season, magpies take many items of 
food that many are glad to see taken.

Thankfully there are those who may be, I guess, termed 
‘do gooders’ and thank goodness for them, as opposed to ‘do badders’ or those who do nothing at all.

I may be mistaken but is this a reference to the shambolic situation with regards to the revocation of general licences (to shoot some birds) by Natural England?

Natural England do an awful lot of valuable work and oversee many important nature reserves but what a mess they have created regarding the control of some birds – surely it should be sorted by now.

It is no use blaming those who challenged some aspects of the general license, it is fairly and squarely the fault of Natural England.

From: S Moore, Halifax.

Reading Mr Babbings’ letter, I certainly wouldn’t want any robins harmed but that is part 
of the natural cycle of things.

How about Mr Babbings getting behind a campaign against the domestic cat 
instead of pointing his disappointment at other 
birds? The cat kills more birds, 
and needlessly so, than anything else.

Also I have not been to his farm,but how about he plants old-style hedgerows to increase the likelihood that native small birds have habitat and food?

Just suggestions for all 
farmers and not just him that will increase greatly our native small bird/other wildlife populations and other biodiversity.