Friday's Letters: Thatcher's policy of selling off council houses under fire

I would also like to know what Mrs T did for the "working class and lower working class".

In response to John Duckitt (November 9) regarding politicians doing manual work, the case he mentions was a publicity stunt, and if he wishes to learn of a much more recent example, I suggest he purchases the two political diaries by Chris Mullin.

There, he would read an insight into the work of an amazing MP and Minister, including getting his hands dirty.

Although Chris was not of my political persuasion, after reading his recent books, I consider him to have been the best constituency MP of his generation – quietly doing the job.

From: Martyn Gamble, Stonefield Garth, Easingwold, York.

From: Tom Howley, Marston Way, Wetherby.

JUDY Gibbard praised Mrs Thatcher for allowing tenants to buy their council homes and then goes on to criticise the former Prime Minister for not building new houses to replace them (Yorkshire Post, November 9).

Miss Gibbard, why replace them?

The Thatcher government policy was to eradicate the council house-owned property culture to make way for private landlords to step in to fill the gap, a move that has resulted in thousands of poor families now living in homes with disgustingly high rents paid by the state.

The sale of council homes was one of the most serious mistakes of the Tory government.

How many former tenants still live in the properties which they bought?

Most have been sold at a profit several times over, and who can blame the sellers for taking advantage of a system which encouraged opportunism?

This is what Thatcherism is all about.

In praise of Michael Foot's leadership

From: Frank McManus, Longfield Road, Todmorden.

RICHARD Heller (Yorkshire Post, November 8) traduces my late friend, Michael Foot, by saying he was a "huge aberration" as Labour leader.

Your contributor should stop scoring such "own goals" –Michael was a reconciler between extremes of right and left, both of which included, regrettably, turbulent comrades.

He was well ahead of the Tories in the polls of 1982, before Mrs Thatcher was rescued by the Falklands factor and the deep rupture between Labour and Liberal in the South-East, which gave the Tories more than 100 seats on minority votes.

Having myself "infested" the party since 1947, I was its candidate for Morecambe and Lonsdale three times around 1960. I wholeheartedly supported the CND line (as I do to this day) on both moral and practical grounds.

Moral since it would be humans' final blasphemy to blow up the world, and it's unwise to threaten to do such wrong.

Practical since the Cold War fear of a Russian move into western Europe could not have been stopped by nuclear weapons had it materialised.

Here in Calder Valley, the Kinnock policy of non-nuclear defence was anything but a vote loser; we increased the Labour vote by more than 31 per cent between 1983 and 1987 through local activity against the Thatcherite line.

I am glad, however, that Richard Heller recognises that the new Labour leader – "Relatively Red Ed" – is free from the prison of Blairism.

As for the EU, it defies understanding that the three largest parties all ratted on their 2005 pledges to hold a referendum on the Lisbon constitution-treaty, yet were allowed by us voters to retain dominance at this year's election.

William Hague said last spring that the Tories, if in government, wouldn't let things rest at Gordon Brown's reluctant ascent.

Now David Cameron is at risk of consenting to a damaging rise in EU levy at a time of financial crisis.

Michael Foot's defeat in 1983 was a tragedy, risking national suicide, for he stood for amending the 1972 Act which took us in.

Hypocrisy in politics

From: T Scaife, Manor Drive, York.

OUR preening Tory leader can employ personal civil servants, including his own photographer, while potentially sacking millions of others because he believes the state needs trimming. What a hypocrite.

This hypocrisy is a running sore through politics. Iain Duncan Smith has taken up the mantle from New Labour's James Purnell with a condescending assault on the unemployed.

IDS wishes to force the unemployed into community work for 1 per hour. Refuse and lose benefits for three months.

Posh politicians, themselves public servants, demanding slavery from people let down by government.

Self-indulgence, cruelty and posturing – the hallmarks of Thatcherism. I wouldn't give half a sixpence for the lot of 'em.

Hazards from the sky

From: Sheila Hill, Greenleafe Avenue, Wheatley Hills, Doncaster.

TO paraphrase a well-known rhyme, "I shot a rocket in the air, it came to earth, I care not where".

The morning after Guy Fawkes night, a rocket stick was found in our garden. It was a substantial stick, 130cm long, and weighed 100g.

Imagine what that could do to a person gazing upwards if it came down end-on, maybe with the spent rocket still attached? It could be the last thing that person saw.

It wouldn't do a conservatory roof or a car roof much good either.

How come the eager beavers in Health and Safety have not spotted this one? They were quick enough to spot the dangers in playing conkers without wearing goggles.

Surely such enormous missiles are a hazard we can do without.

Blood donors still needed

From: Alan McDermott, Director of Blood Donation, NHS Blood and

Transplant, Watford, Hertfordshire.

I AM writing in response to your article, "Creating blood from skin to change medical world" (Yorkshire Post, November 7).

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) welcomes any medical advances that may lead to improved treatment options for patients in the future, and we are also involved in research to investigate whether blood cells suitable for transfusion can be produced in the laboratory.

Although this has great potential, it will be some years yet before the need for donor blood could possibly be replaced by this method.

In the meantime, we continue to rely on the generosity of volunteer blood donors to ensure a constant supply of blood and blood products to patients in hospitals across the country.

We collect, test and distribute approximately 7,000 units of blood every day to help save the lives of sick and injured patients. Continued regular donations from the public are vital.

Donated blood cannot be stockpiled, and platelets, which promote blood clotting, and which are used to help treat leukaemia and cancer patients, last for just five days.

Red blood cells last a bit longer, at 35 days, and are often transfused to patients suffering from severe anaemia or acute blood loss.

Money-saving idea to help protect our troops

From: David Algar, Low Bridge Park, Abbey Road, Knaresborough.

PRINCE Andrew requests that the MoD chiefs "get off their fat backsides" and place an order for the UK Ranger armoured vehicle which would offer superior protection to our troops in Afghanistan.

I certainly agree it would be invaluable to our troops and an order should be placed without delay.

Perhaps a simple solution initially would be to invite job applications (including Andrew, of course) to enter an open competition for the Prince's role as the Ambassador for UK Trade and Industry.

During the course of 2009, Prince Andrew cost the taxpayer 435,000 on travel and 140,000 on hotel, food and entertaining. All this for only nine foreign trips.

The money saved would certainly help fund the Rangers and the Prince could probably then be free to concentrate on food and travel writing.

From: DJ Britton, Denford Avenue, Lytham, Lancashire.

DEFENCE Secretary Liam Fox claims to be sensitive to the needs of the local people around RAF Lossiemouth and Kinloss (Yorkshire Post, November 8).

Well, I hope he is. In my opinion, both stations should remain operational for the foreseeable future. History surely has taught us by now that the northern coasts of Scotland have been an attraction to our enemies in two World Wars.

Also, Russian aircraft, I understand, continue to push their luck adjacent to our airspace. Surely a squadron in England would take more time to be on the scene – time that could prove disastrous in the event of the real thing.

Punishment for vandals

From: Barry Foster, High Stakesby, Whitby.

ANOTHER sad report in your paper on the desecration (Yorkshire Post, November 10) of the memorial to John Speed, the police officer shot dead in Leeds 26 years ago.

It is understandably quite easy to get emotional about such disgusting acts by members of our society.

Suffice to say, if the culprits are caught, perhaps to clean up the memorial with a toothbrush ought to remind them how well they are treated in this country of ours.

Or perhaps send them to war where they may learn something.

It's strictly a farce of a show

From: Peter Hyde, Kendale View, Driffield.

I WOULD suggest that Strictly Come Dancing be renamed Comedy on Saturday.

For Ann Widdecombe to keep on making herself and partner look fools, while far better dancers are rejected, is turning the whole show a farce.

It is highly likely that she will win the show but I really don't know what her performance has to do with actually dancing.

She is a wonderful columnist and was a good MP but now she is making a name for herself as a clown.

Let's fine EU for incompetence

From: David H Rhodes, Keble Park North, Bishopthorpe, York.

I AGREE that Defra should be penalised for its gross incompetence over the Single Farm Payments (Yorkshire Post, November 9).

However, I would question the fines paid to the EU of 200m over the last five years.

As the auditors have not signed off the EU accounts for well over a decade, can Britain fine them for gross incompetence?

If so, how about an initial 200m for starters and the same amount for each subsequent year that their accounts are not audited?

What's good for the goose...