Government must listen to jobs protesters

I WRITE to comment on your coverage of the London March. It was a good, well-balanced view. I agree with your Editorial comment entirely (Yorkshire Post, March 28).

Why did solid union activists march on London? Not to damage property or national monuments. They went to London to voice their opposition to Government policy, ideologically driven, to privatise education and the NHS and any other public sector body.

Your Editorial was spot-on: “It would be remiss for Ministers to dismiss the London protesters as the ‘usual suspects’. They were not. For, mostly, these demonstrators were voicing the worries that are being felt by families across the country, and particularly here in Yorkshire.”

The coalition Government is obsessed with the destruction of the public sector. In our region, the private sector would have to create 1.3 million jobs over the next five years to achieve Government targets. It is difficult to see how the private sector will be able to accommodate all those people losing their jobs in local government.

The wanton damage caused in London over the weekend is indefensible. However, if this Government doesn’t listen, we are set for more protests. This is just the beginning.

From: Maureen Hunt, Woolley, near Wakefield.

WHEN I saw on the television the disgraceful scenes of violence once again on the streets of London last Saturday, I felt utterly sickened and thoroughly ashamed to be British.

Lessons obviously have not been learned from the students rioting.

The sight of our policemen being attacked by a mob of thugs was appalling and totally unacceptable. This cannot be allowed to recur.

The only language these rioters will understand is the one they speak – force. The police must have the weapons they need to defend themselves and the properties they are supposed to be protecting. Water cannon would surely disperse the anarchists and cool their anger. What is certain is that law and order must be respected and maintained at all costs. Otherwise, we will have chaos.

The story of the courageous and heroic Japanese workers in the shattered nuclear reactor at Fukushima, risking their lives on a daily basis for the benefit of their countrymen, is in stark contrast to this wanton destruction in the heart of our capital.

There is no hope for our country unless we can pull together and be united in our struggle to sort out our debt and rebuild our economy to compete in the modern world.

By their unselfish behaviour, their sense of duty and responsibility, the Japanese workers have shown us the way forward.

If we can think of the country as a whole, rather than of our own small selves, we will be more likely to succeed in our endeavours and maybe one day we will again be able to feel proud of being British. As many of us once were.

Time to kill off hunting ban

From: Ken Holmes, Cliffe Common, Selby.

Spare a thought at this time of year for hard-working stock farmers, many of whom sit up all night, night after night, attending to the welfare of their sheep giving birth to their lambs.

Also, spare a thought for many a ewe (mum) who becomes elated one day at the sight of her lambs, only to become distraught another day at the sight of a cunning, evil, ruthless fox running off with her offspring.

Shame on the do-gooders aided and abetted by the gormless RSPCA who spent millions of subscribers’ money calling for a ban on fox hunting.

Hopefully the ban will be rescinded (any time now I hope) and the sooner the better.

A pale shadow of Germany

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Acomb, York.

I AGREE with much of what TW Jefferson says (Yorkshire Post, March 29), especially that Britain should leave the EU and would not be harmed if we did.

We ought never to have joined in the first place, and if given a vote, I believe about 70 per cent of our population would say “Leave now!”

Where I totally disagree with this writer is in his forecast of German stagnation and Britain becoming equal to Germany.

Germany, despite the euro, and despite having to fund and prop up so many of the failing EU nations, is an absolute powerhouse economically, socially, environmentally, educationally, legally, healthwise, industrially, export-wise, in IT and at sport.

Its infrastructure, integrated transport systems, efficiency and cleanliness are oozing quality in every direction – we are but a pale shadow of Germany.

Anger over court ruling

From: John Wildie, Briar Grove, Sandal, Wakefield.

DAVID Cameron was right to declare war on the court ruling that paedophiles and rapists have won the right to apply to have their names removed from the sex offenders register after 15 years when they are released from prison.

I, like many people, get very angry over this ruling on sex offenders being able to have their names removed.

The NSPCC chief executive Andrew Flanagan states paedophiles who sexually abuse babies and children should stay on the offenders list for life as they cannot be trusted.

The Home Secretary Theresa May said that the police would have the final decision of whether sex offenders should stay on the register. I hope that they remain tagged for the rest of their lives.