Employees
enjoy perks 
of the job

I HAVE have owned and run a small and profitable company in Leeds for almost 30 years and I’m feeling keen to hang up my boots.

Aggrieved that he can’t follow me, my 23-year-old son intends to take the business forward. This made me consider whether he would be wiser working for someone else in another company? The job package handed to employees these days makes excellent value, for a job.

Even at minimum wage level, everyone receives a number of financial benefits and guarantees, present and future, even a pension fund.

A diligent and healthy employee working for a likewise company has got it made. And it can only get better!

There are unwritten perks too for an employee. They can boss the boss and dictate terms on certain issues. And they can enjoy a huge amount of freedom from blame. On asking my son what his thoughts were, he thanked me for mine but said he would carry on using the profit and loss as his guide.

Horse sense
from Mr Ed?

From: Norman Armistead, Cayton, Scarborough.

NOW that the party conferences are under way, and in particular, the Labour Party’s this week, I am reminded of the 1960s children’s TV show Mr Ed, the talking palomino, who caused endless trouble for its owner, architect Wilbur Post, as well as adding more disruption by talking on the telephone.

Something for the two Eds to reflect upon this week – horses for courses!

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

I DON’T agree with much that Labour politicians propose when vying for our votes, like all those who seek power they tend to be economical with the true facts and promises are often broken or delayed – like David Cameron’s promise on an in/out referendum on Europe.

However, if Yvette Cooper really sticks to her vow to rid the country of police and crime commissioners (The Yorkshire Post, September 22), then I think she has a vote winner.

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

IT is great that Labour have announced that the minimum wage will rise to £8 if they get back into power.

For there are far too many enduring in-work poverty, giving a lie to those who think that if you get a job you’re automatically financially secure. And businessmen worried about the costs should realise that if low paid workers get more, they’ll have greater spending power.

Federal model
only answer

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

THE result of the referendum was entirely predictable. The words “turkeys” and “Christmas” spring to mind.

I feel that it is time to put short-term party politics aside and move to a federal system in England which operates successfully in places like Germany. The danger is that the regions will be fobbed off with assemblies giving a superficial impression of genuine devolution.

Real power including financial responsibility must now be shifted from London and probably based round the big cities. If the politicians at last recognise that real change is unavoidable, the unnecessary referendum may at least have achieved something.

From: Nigel Boddy, Darlington.

THERE is already an English standing committee of the House of Commons. It exists now. If you want English Votes For English Laws then do it in the Committee stage. Have the English committee meet in the House of Commons one or two days a week. We can do this now and we need no constitutional change to bring this about. We do not need a separate English Parliament to bring this about. We do not need a separate English executive. Haven’t we already answered this question?

From: John Eoin Douglas, Spey Terrace, Edinburgh.

now that a clear majority North of the Border has comprehensively rejected Scottishness, surely it is time for us to have an established Church in North Britain?

The Episcopal Church of Scotland would be ideal for this role and it would be only fitting were the Queen to appoint one of their Bishops to sit in the House of Lords alongside their Anglican colleagues.

MPs keep it in the family

From: John Watson, Leyburn.

LATEST reports in the Press about the remuneration of MPs fill me with disgust. Several of these paragons of virtue are paying their wives or other members of the family up to £50,000 per year as secretaries or, personal assistants.

It makes me wonder on what grounds would I have been able to employ my wife over the years to boost the family coffers? She could have been a secretary, a chauffeuse, or even my chiropodist.

The mind boggles with what some people think of next to beat the system.

It is time we had a Bill in Parliament to ban completely the payment of a wage or salary to one’s family members. At least if it didn’t stop the rot we could start with a clean sheet.