Ideals behind the Big Society

I REFER to Rev Chris Howson’s article (Yorkshire Post, February 16), which was an ideological tirade against the Conservatives and the Big Society, and was full of lies and distortions.

Yet again, Mrs Thatcher’s comments on society are misquoted and David Cameron’s idea of a ‘Big Society’ is wholly distorted.

It has nothing to do with privatisation. It has everything to do, as had Mrs Thatcher’s comments, with individuals and groups being given the opportunity to contribute more to their communities.

It is about personal responsibility and less political and State control over all our lives. Surely these are ideals any Christian should want to support not attack?

Way of cutting library costs

From: Jennifer Bookbinder, Cottingley Gardens, Leeds.

I READ with interest the letter from Bob Donkley (Yorkshire Post, February 9) about libraries spending a lot of money on periodicals. I have noticed that Leeds Central Library has an awful lot of obscure magazines on display. I have rarely seen anyone perusing them.

I wonder if it is ever looked at as to how useful they are and if they warrant the money spent on them. I doubt it. They do not stock any popular monthly magazines and yet a small library such as Ilkley, run by Bradford Council, has plenty.

Cutbacks cut

From: Michael Summers, Peake’s Croft, Bawtry.

IN the interest of attempts to support our island heritage and the traditional use of its language, I would question the use of “cutbacks” (Yorkshire Post, February 17) which should properly be “cuts back”; or is this a bowing to the inevitable changes which occur in languages over the years?

I also worry about the ending “see you” which is, or can be, somewhat inaccurate “to say the least”.