March 27 Letters: Proud to be Yorkshire – and English

ALYN Smith MEP (The Yorkshire Post, March 24) is right to say that Yorkshire needs more localised decision-making. “Crisis” is an over-used expression these days but it is the only way of describing the situation in which our politics and governing arrangements are in.

One key problem is that for such a populous and diverse country, we are simply far too centralised. The Government is therefore to be congratulated for initiating, in Greater Manchester, the biggest shift in powers from Whitehall in generations. It is a shame that West Yorkshire has been badly let down by our local political leaders whose fear of accountability has resulted in fewer powers being devolved to this side of the Pennines.

But Mr Smith’s equation of Yorkshire with Scotland is not just wrong but also dangerous. Yorkshire folk are a tribe of the English nation whereas Scotland is a nation itself – this is an important distinction to make because debates over governing arrangements inevitably raise questions about identity. I’m a proud Yorkshireman and a proud Englishman and as such I would not want to see our region go the way of Scotland and develop an identity that regarded itself as divorced from and incompatible with being English (or British, for as long as that applies).

The SNP is single-minded in its determination to split the UK; if we adopt Mr Smith’s assumptions they shall succeed in splitting England as well. By all means, let’s have more decision-making locally, let’s celebrate Yorkshire and let’s even consider a Yorkshire Assembly. But go the way of Scotland and have a Yorkshire National Party? No, thanks!

From: D Wood, Howden, East Yorkshire.

AMJAD Bashir is a total hypocrite (The Yorkshire Post, March 23). Here is a man who, only weeks after winning a Ukip seat in the EU election last May, defected to the Conservatives and began to pour vitriolic scorn upon Ukip.

If Mr Bashir wants any credibility, he should stand down and then stand as a Conservative against Ukip and let’s see who wins.

The voters of Yorkshire did not vote for Mr Bashir, they voted for Ukip and he has cheated them out of their vote, and Ukip out of a seat. I would suggest that perhaps he was a Conservative all along, but knew he had no chance of getting a seat by standing for the Conservatives. It would also appear that he jumped ship before being pushed. He should certainly not be an MEP.

From: ME Wright, Grove Road, Harrogate.

THERE are scathing Feedback comments on the latest government computer fiasco (The Yorkshire Post, March 24). What we rarely hear of is the number of similar, wildly expensive, failed computer systems in the private sector.

Since the 1960s, I wonder how many times loudly trumpeted IT fanfares have heralded something more akin to a damp squib than that which was promised? How many of those who were conned left the board with reputational tails between their legs, but with substantial golden handshakes in their wallets? And yet, the IT buccaneers wildly continue to over-sell themselves and get away with it. Why?

King’s funeral 
was a farce

From: David Griffith, West Green Drive, Pocklington.

THE discovery and identification of Richard III’s remains was a truly outstanding archaeological triumph for the city of Leicester and its university.

What a pity the above achievement was followed by a fancy dress parade purporting to be a King’s funeral in order to generate some admittedly much needed tourist trade (The Yorkshire Post, March 23).

Taking the remains back to the battlefield to form a cortege of cadets, persons in period costume and others was to me an undignified farce. The coffin, masonry and other tasteful physical details were fine but a simple re-interment service and appropriate attendees would have been more fitting.

From: John Reynolds, Scott Lane, Wetherby.

WITH reference to the article by Steve Teale (The Yorkshire Post, March 23) I think that the quotation from Shakespeare’s play Richard III which Mr Teale quotes when talking about the funeral of King Richard III is wrong.

I believe that the words are ”Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York”. Perhaps I do Mr Teale an injustice? It is a glorious pun, is it not?

Pettiness over waste depots

From: Mark Pennington, Horsforth, Leeds.

WITH our council tax bills in Leeds we have received the fruits of said council: a car sticker allowing us to use the city’s recycling depots. What a fuss!

This will lead to people being turned away and deciding to put things in general waste instead. Central government should be getting out the wrist-slapping machinery for our recalcitrant council. On another level, the letter makes clear that the scheme is designed to exclude the nearby citizens of Bradford and Wakefield.

We’ll never build that Northern Powerhouse if adjacent councils insist on sniping at each other. How ridiculous.