Energy fears 
hold power to generate heat

I WRITE to you today regarding Third Energy’s failed planning application to frack at Kirby Misperton and to express my concern that such an inept company could even consider fracking (The Yorkshire Post, July 15).

This is a dirty, desperate fuel which reflects an over-reliance on fossil fuels in an era when we should be doing everything we can consume less and use more sustainable forms of energy.

I hope that Yorkshire follows Lancashire’s lead in not allowing it, not just for the local costs, but also for the global ones.

The fact that, from what I have seen, the vast majority oppose this and that it’s still on the table I believe means that there are certain people who can make a lot of money from fracking.

From: Nelly Trevelyan, Appleton-le-Moors, Ryedale

WHAT is going on with planning? Why is it that if we are against wind farms, the Government will help us by bringing in a new rule allowing us to use the argument of the ‘cumulative effect’? We would also be allowed to use strength of local opinion as a valid argument.

However, if we are against fracking, we are not able to use this argument, and nor can we use the strength of local opinion as a valid planning consideration.

In Lancashire there were approximately 33,000 letters of objection as against approx 300 letters of support. The fracking industry gets to influence local councils in order to make their business more acceptable. Wind farms do not. Can you see a level playing field? I can’t.

From: David T Craggs, Shafton Gate, Goldthorpe, Rotherham.

ON the same day as the National Grid has produced a report that the margin between power generation and demand this winter will be it’s tightest ever, may I through your columns float an idea regarding the ‘pausing’ of various Northern rail electrification projects.

Could it just be possible that the projects have been put on ‘hold’ (The Yorkshire Post, July 16) because there would be insufficient power available to run the trains, especially in the event of a severe winter?

Why won’t EU
act on Calais?

From: Les Arnott, Athelstan Road, Sheffield,

FOLLOWING the planting of secret investigators into ‘refugee camps’ in Calais, suspicions that these incursions are highly organised have been fully confirmed.

It begs a number of questions:

1) Why do these migrants, having reached France, insist on continuing to the UK – often at personal expense and danger?

2) Why do the French authorities not bulldoze these camps?

3) Why is the much vaunted Europol not helping to tackle the evil people smugglers?

4) If the EU was actually on our side, would it not want to take action?

5) Why are UN protocols not followed? They require genuine refugees to seek help in the nearest safe nation. Is that really the UK?

It is clear that: the French don’t care; Europol does not care and Brussels does not care. How anyone could possibly contemplate remaining in the EU is simply beyond me!

SNP wants to
control UK

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

THE SNP signalling their intention too vote on the Hunting Ban which Scotland already has a policy on shows us that we should really celebrate the fact that Labour was defeated in the General Election in May 2015 (The Yorkshire Post, July 15). The ambition of the party to control the whole of the UK knows no bounds.

Lack of tact
on Sundays

From: Mr JV Hutchinson, Boroughbridge Road, Northallerton.

COMMENTING on the relaxation of Sunday trading laws (Words of the Week, The Yorkshire Post, July 11), Anna Soubry, the Small Business Minister, observes that “We are of that generation where Sunday, truthfully, was the most miserable day of the week. The only thing to look forward to was Sing Something Simple on the radio. Goodness me, if that didn’t sum up a miserable Sunday”.

It is sad enough that Ms Soubry holds that view in regard to any generational period but even worse when a Government Minister displays such a lack of understanding and tact on a sensitive subject which is of concern to many.

Being content to maintain a standard, hold on to a principle and exercise a degree of initiative would, hopefully, have made her Sundays much more rewarding.

Birds better
than children

From: G Heaton, Parkstone Avenue, West Park, Leeds.

I AM fed up of hearing people complain about the seagulls on the East Coast. The seagulls were there before us. They don’t hurt anybody and they are a thousand more times cleaner than many filthy human beings. Just look around!

As for them making children cry, I feel like crying with the behaviour of some badly behaved, ignorant children. (I am not classing all children alike, some children are well behaved and a pleasure to see) but there are a lot of the other sort and we have to put up with them. Give me the gulls any day.

While on the subject of birds, it is awful the way people call pigeons vermin, they are not vermin, they are lovely birds, I love to feed them. I love all birds and animals, long may they thrive.