Financial contrasts

TWO news items caught my attention because of the contrasting results of financial judgments in court cases.

In the first a woman who was unhappy with her treatment with working conditions which she felt were demeaning was awarded a total of £26,000, including £15,000 for injuries to her feelings, by the tribunal which deals with such cases.

In the second, a workman fell to his death while being hoisted to repair a crane.

His employers were found guilty of breaches of health and safety regulations and fined approximately £120,000.

I presume fines such as these are absorbed by some government body with no mention of any award for injuries to feelings, or financial losses, of his family.

Doesn’t seem very fair, does it?

Family values hinder Miliband

From: Mrs S Longley, St Michael’s Lane, Leeds.

I ECHO the sentiments of your editorial (Yorkshire Post, December 220 regarding Ed Miliband.

It’s always a bad sign when a politician has to start parading their family in public to win over a few voters.

I’m afraid it is policies that matter and, so far, Mr Miliband has shown that he is out of touch with the financial reality facing the country. Until he recognises that, he will struggle.

And, furthermore, I’m not sure whether Ed Balls, as Shadow Chancellor, is a help or hindrance to Labour. To me, he’s too divisive and a reminder of the mistakes made by Gordon Brown.

Speak up

From: Andrew Mercer, Guiseley.

JAYNE Dowle was right (Yorkshire Post, December 26). David Cameron and his Ministers spend too much time in London.

If they spent a week in Leeds, they would realise that people weren’t spending money before Christmas, they were just walking around the shops aimlessly. It’s a shame that none of the Yorkshire-born politicians in the Cabinet are prepared to speak up for Northerners.