Good to hear business views from a man of principle

IT was good to read the Business Section interview with Keith Loudon, senior partner of stockbrokers Redmayne Bentley (Yorkshire Post, April 2) and to receive his cogent views on the way in which financial services should be both structured and delivered.

In addition to his professional life, Keith Loudon was for many years a distinguished member of Leeds City Council. His forthright manner and clear thinking were invariably to the benefit of the city. He served as Lord Mayor in 1993/4 and during his year he made a remarkable gesture. In my year as Lord Mayor 1983/4 I initiated the Lord Mayor’s carol concerts which have proved to be very popular and major occasions in the calendar of successive lord mayors. In recognition of my involvement with the concerts Keith Loudon invited me to compere one of “his” concerts which I very much appreciated. It was a generous and thoughtful gesture indeed.

Leeds has been fortunate to have a man of such integrity and concern for other people as a leading figure in the professional and civic life of the city.

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield, East Yorkshire.

READING Richard Heller’s column (Yorkshire Post, April 3) I have to agree with him that Ed Miliband should not hitch his wagon to Justin Welby’s coat tails.

The Archbishop of York should concentrate his efforts on spreading the Gospel rather than trying to be political.

In a rapidly declining Church, he would be of far better use trying to convert our sinning members of Parliament to follow the ways of Christ instead of putting themselves in front of the goody queue, ahead of those who elected them.

In the recent case of the evil Mick Philpott, who was driven by power and greed to commit that terrible crime that claimed the lives of five of his children, perhaps he could persuade Mr Miliband that the previous system of welfare was a contributory factor in that tragedy.

From: RC Dales, Church View, Brompton, Northallerton.

IT seems more wisdom is apparent in your “Leaders” and correspondent columns than in Parliament.

In his letter Mr RC Curry (Yorkshire Post, March 11) pointed out the inadequacies 
of many “professional” politicians, who lacked the experience and challenges in the outside world. And this is at a time when Britain is in serious financial difficulties, and deterioration in the Forces, the NHS, care for the aged and council services.

It is unlikely, without strong leadership, that there will be improvements, or courageous answers to the dilemma of EU membership which we can no longer afford, or that of our involvement in Afghanistan. But the next election is now in our thoughts, and that is when the public and the local party organisations can strengthen the Parliament by resisting attempts by the political parties to foist on them candidates who are professional politicians, nominating instead men and women of proven ability and experience in the outside world, preferably local.

So, thank you Mr Curry, for bringing this into the open. And over to you, the voters!

From: Raymond Shaw, Mullen Edge Road, Elland, West Yorkshire.

READING your article by Simon Page (Yorkshire Post, April 2) concerning Messrs Lloyds Banking Group, I just cannot get my head round the logic of this article.

Lloyds say they have loaned 70 per cent of their manufacturing commitment since last September. It then indicates the Bank of England Lending (FLS) Scheme has been used to swap funding, which again is taxpayers’ money. Finally, a net reduction of £3.1bn has occurred.

As a person who is several hundred thousand pounds worse off through being involved with Messrs Lloyds and their associates, may I ask where have the surplus funds gone? The bank has disclosed as usual an annual trading loss with no gain, and no dividend for shareholders.