Friday's Letters: We need a new political path to a fairer society

How ironic that it should take a Labour Government to come to the

rescue of the capitalist system. Without the intervention and help of taxpayers, one shudders to think of the consequences.

I accept that the Government must also take some responsibility on the grounds that the Financial Services Authority was about as useful as a chocolate fireguard in attempting to police the financial sector.

So now we have a situation where we, the taxpayers, are expected to reward the bankers even though they are receiving salaries that the general public can only dream about.

On top of this we learn that Adam Crozier is in line for a 15m bonus on top of his inflated salary if he can turn around the fortunes of ITV.

To add insult to injury, this comes after he received a massive bonus at the Post Office which was making a loss and when the majority of his workforce were expected to take pay cuts and work longer hours.

Next, we learn a few days later (Yorkshire Post, February 2) that the new head of Marks & Spencer is in line to earn 15m if his targets are met, not forgetting his salary of 950,000 per annum. Add to this the same obscene salaries of footballers and entertainers.

I am very lucky in that I am retired, but I wonder what people think of these obscene amounts of money when they are asked to take a pay cut, work longer hours for the same pay or worse than that, lose their jobs. When we see this amount of money being handed out, aren't we justified in asking if there really has been a recession?

It is quite obvious to me that capitalism has gone down the same path as communism. Both systems have been disgraced by greed and self-interest, and only the few benefit. There has never been a time like today for a new political party to emerge. One that will ensure we live in a fairer society. One that will put and end for good to rewarding failure. One that recognises the values of people's contribution to society. Unfortunately, it will be either Tory or Labour, and things will never change.

From: Andrew Cooper, Ascot Avenue, Kimberley, Nottinghamshire.

Afghan fight that has no proper cause

From: SE Acaster, Stocks Green Court, Totley, Sheffield.

ARE we to assume that there will be another public inquiry into the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan when the casualty figures finally become unbearable for the caring element of the British public?

For those who think this other adventure worthwhile, they should take time to study the lack of success of the Soviets (not noted for use of the "kid glove") who were more than happy to get out of that country more than 20 years ago, having committed a decade and many thousands of casualties in unsuccessfully "dealing with" and trying to impose their will upon the Mujahideen.

When the fury has settled, at least the war in Iraq achieved one aim (surely the only, true, one) of removing a crazed, unstable, mass murderer and his gangster-like regime.

Tony Blair should have stuck to that perfectly valid reason, without attempting (unnecessarily, and disingenuously) to "sex it up".

I cannot, however, see or envisage, any similarly, tangible outcome to the futile, costly and morally dubious operations in Afghanistan.

Surely the might of Nato isn't there to police illegal poppy cropping? If the argument is to eliminate terrorist training facilities, where next... Morocco? Algeria?

Parties need a lesson

From: Colin McNamee, Ella Street, Hull.

THE three main UK political parties have collectively diminished the United Kingdom and repeatedly failed to look after the interests of the electorate – Labour by mismanagement, deceit, ill-thought through and too much legislation; the Liberal Democrats by sustaining and

supporting the Lisbon Treaty is but one example, and the Conservatives by being the poorest and most ineffective Opposition for decades and failing to keep their promise for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

By their actions over their expenses, they amply illustrate how they look after their own interests over those of the electorate and the country.

By ignoring the three main UK parties, and voting for any but these three, a clear message will be sent to Westminster in the General Election where the electorate has one of the very rare opportunities to pass their judgment on these activities.

Boycotting the election in disgust or apathy and not voting doesn't count – literally.

It is more than about time that the three main parties received a hammering from the electorate.

Countdown conundrum

From: RC Carter, Malham Square, Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

HAVING just watched the latest edition of Countdown, I have once again been amazed by the juvenile way that the producers would have us

believe that the programme is live.

Everyone is aware that they are recorded weeks in advance, but the other day they started by saying, and I quote: "In respect to yesterday's programme, a lady has rung in to say..." and reads out an observation to it.

This reminds me of the time a young man was getting married on the day of later transmission, and said that he was having a stag night before it.

On inquiring about it the day after, he said he had a good time. How could he know that, when it was to be in weeks hence?

The producers of the programme must be obsessed to carry on with this charade for no obvious reason. The sooner they stop treating the viewers as idiots, the better.

Different sides of the coin

From: Trev Bromby, Sculcoates Lane, Hull.

WHAT must be the most puerile TV game show ever has emerged on Channel 5, Heads or Tails. The concept is, head you win, tails you lose.

This got me thinking – yes, there are two sides to every coin!

If you are mentally ill in Britain, but still capable of exposing the ineptitude of US military security measures, this will not be

considered as a reason to stop extradition to the US and possible 60 years in a US prison. Every effort by UK lawyers to stop deportation will be blocked by UK courts and condoned by government.

If on the other hand, you're British in China breaking their laws and, as a defence, claiming mental illness, this Labour government will lead the world in its condemnation of punishment for the allegedly mentally ill offender.

Yes! There are two sides to every coin, but many sides to politics.

Bishop adds welcome words to European debate

From: John D Clark, Burnsall, North Yorkshire.

I HAVE just noted that a clergyman, the Bishop of Guildford, has made a comment with which we should all agree: "The European institutional public sphere is largely a public discourse for elites; it is a sphere in which citizens remain uninvolved. This has in turn contributed to the EU's democratic deficit... efforts must also be made to improving the EU's transparency – particularly its financial and accounting processes – and to reducing bureaucracy by taking subsidiarity seriously."

As someone who wants Church leaders of whatever denomination, as well as other respected leaders of the nation, to use their wisdom to contribute to the debates on national issues, his comments are welcome.

Parliamentary democracy as such, as suggested by the Chilcot Inquiry, is more or less dead.

This is something that must be revived after the next election, so that there is less likelihood of bad legislation (a regrettable feature of the last decade) being inflicted upon us.

From: John Watson, Hutton Hill, Leyburn.

THE article on the EU by Bill Cash (Yorkshire Post, January 22) is a revelation.

Having read over and over again some of the things he writes about, we must be mad to be associated with such an administration which has taken over or has influence in a lot of the things we hold dear in this country.

We have lost our fishing industry, the CAP is out of control, a lot of our laws seem to be made in Brussels, and now there is a threat to our sovereignty. So it goes on.

After the Lisbon debacle the election of a President and a Foreign Minister, these two will have a combined salary of nearly one million pounds a year. For what?

I will not vote for a party that maintains the status quo in our relations with Europe. Let's dig our toes in and fight this monster

like Maggie Thatcher used to do.

Conferences with no purpose

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

EVERY week seems to bring another conference at colossal cost but with minimal results. This is really a gimmick which has had its day and is now becoming tedious in the extreme. Perhaps a few will be impressed into thinking it demonstrates a strong leader with a firm hand on the tiller.

Unfortunately for Labour, we have had over 12 years of this PR stuff and the law of diminishing returns has set in. It really is an insult to the intelligence of voters as a whole to believe they will be taken in yet again by these pathetic attempts to rebuild a shattered image.

Differences on a burning issue

From: Coun Barry Anderson, Adel and Wharfedale Ward, Civic Hall, Leeds.

I READ with interest comments made by Government Minister and Leeds MP Hilary Benn regarding incinerators (Yorkshire Post, January 26).

Mr Benn's comments, in support of incineration, would have surprised many as they seem to be opposed to the views of his colleagues on Leeds City Council who have taken every opportunity to both dismiss incineration as a possible waste solution, and who attempt to score

points on this crucial issue at every turn.

Height of difficulty

From: K Martin, West Bank Road, Skipton.

YOUR article (Yorkshire Post, February 2) mentions Mr Kent of Grassington "who was forced to close his furniture business for a week due to last month's snow..."

I would like to point out that to reach the furniture factory above Grassington, you drive through the market square up to the top of the village, then a further half mile up single track road, up to a height of 1,000ft above sea level.

Communist toll

From: R Brandon, Doncaster Road, Worksop.

I HOPE Geoffrey Thorpe (Yorkshire Post, February 2) has tongue in cheek!

Has anyone ever heard of a communist regime that brought economic

success, embraced genuine human rights, did not have a privileged elite and wasn't corrupt to the core?