Britain must stop sending money abroad

I REALLY wanted our coalition Government to work for a better Britain. However, each day brings more news of vast sums of money being sent abroad to benefit other countries while our own economy keeps plummeting.

British people are being forced to make drastic cuts to their standard of living in order to cope with exorbitant rising prices on essential commodities.

My niece has lived in Germany for 10 years and she was told by a German acquaintance that their government looks after its own people first before helping others. How sensible, and our politicians should do the same.

A recent news report showed that the German economy has greatly improved, mainly because of an increase in manufacturing, while unemployment has fallen. As a country, we have lost our identity and respectability and are moving backwards in so many fields. I wonder what our great inventors and manufacturers of the past would think at seeing so many of our well-known products being taken over by foreigners.

We need a strong leadership in this country to take charge of our own affairs and not being run by the EU where billions of pounds are being wasted.

Cowardice on risk ruling

From: Brian Hardy, All Hallowes Drive, Tickhill, Doncaster.

THE hand-wringing bleating from Home Secretary Theresa May “that we need to abide by the European Court of Justice ruling” outlawing insurance risk assessments, is yet another typical demonstration of Conservative cowardice when dealing with Europe (Yorkshire Post, March 2).

Over many years now, the Tories have proved to be just a cabal of play-acting Eurosceptics with no backbone.

Dealing with oil shortage

From: Peter Green, Pocklington.

WE appear to be facing either a world shortage of crude oil, or at least a huge rise in the cost of oil. Surely our Government should be making active and sensible provisions to maintain our power and transport supplies.

The billions already invested in unreliable wind power generation is gone; but our grandfathers had a very sensible saying: “Don’t throw good money after bad”.

If we don’t start building nuclear power stations, and end the dependence on oil, then our manufacturing and transport industries will suffer for years.

If we can generate power without oil, then transport solutions such as the electric car can be developed as a reality rather than as an expensive dream.

Oil use should be restricted for manufacturing fertilisers and other crop growing necessities, because we are already facing world shortages of basic food.

Another source of alternative oil – cereal and oilseed crops – is simply taking good agricultural land out of production, and increasing the problem.

We should stop playing with expensive toys like windmills, and join up to the real world.

Subtle change in health care

From: Kendal Wilson, Wharfebank Terrace, Tadcaster.

HOW many people have felt over the past three years when attending their doctor’s practice that the attitude of GPs has changed in a subtle way, probably knowing that the then Labour administration was starting to tinker with the NHS and the pushing forward of financial incentives for GPs.

Well, that day seems to have arrived, albeit under the Con-Dem Government, the requirements of your wellbeing in competition with profit motives from treatments and outcomes. David Cameron calls patients customers; councils call us punters. The principled pragmatism is slipping away into yet another shareholder set of bank accounts.

In other words, the one who needs the most treatment makes the most profit. Who knows – the healthy among us would be viewed as loss leaders.

Upset over obesity letter

From: Mrs DM Priestley, Fixby Road, Huddersfield.

As one who has spent my life medium to fat, never thin, and now a very round granny, I did not feel good reading Barrie Frost’s letter about obesity (Yorkshire Post, March 3).

If his ideas were acted upon, and the fatties denied treatment on the NHS, how about smokers who have lung cancer; drinkers who have liver disease; anorexics who are destroying their bodies; sports enthusiasts with broken legs; drug addicts who began their habit as a leisure activity, and people who are not ill but expect the NHS to help them to have children?

Beside some of these failings, a weakness for apple pie and a chunk of Wensleydale seems a small crime.

The root of the problem lies in the promise that the State will take care of everything, a promise that never was, and never can be, kept.

Giving thanks for escape

From: Ron Farley, Croftway, Camblesforth, Selby.

Looking again at the photographs of the train crash at Great Heck, near where I live, 10 years ago, I once again thank the fates, lucky stars or whatever people believe in, for the escape of one of my nearest and dearest.

One of our granddaughters who lived and worked in Sheffield was visiting her father (our son) and was due to return to Sheffield the night before the fatal crash but pleaded to stay in York that night to go a party with her father.

She said she could get that particular train the next morning. Her father said “no” – she should return that night to get a good night’s rest ready for work the next day.

Thank whatever you believe in for that.