March 5 Letters: Conservatives deserve a clear run at election

THERE is surely no doubt that the actions of hate preachers need to be pursued and dealt with. The new rules suggested by the Conservatives to force universities to ban all “extremist” speakers from their campuses will, I am sure, be supported by the vast majority of people in the UK.

What, then, are we to make of the opposition to this from leading Lib Dem politician Vince Cable, who argues that only those who directly incite terrorism should be silenced? The hope has to be that the Lib Dems will have no say in Government after the May election.

Indeed, the same has to be said about Labour’s dreadful Eds, Miliband and Balls.

The thought of the former ever running this country beggars belief, as does the discredited Ed Balls having any control whatsoever on the country’s finances.

Whilst the Conservatives have certainly not been perfect – constrained, of course, to a large extent by the Lib Dems – they surely deserve a further five years, this time without the restrictions of their current (or any other) partners.

Good progress has been made in sorting out the usual mess left by Labour, and we really cannot risk this being put in jeopardy in the hands of the spendthrift opposition.

From: TC Robinson, Abbey Lane, Beauchief, Sheffield.

FOR what seems a long time now, in fact ever since the dismal performance of the Conservatives at the European elections, I have been trying to arrive at a logical reason and understanding of why David Cameron should persist in trying to promote such a totally hopeless strategy for winning the General Election – all hot air and no substance.

Finally, as time is running short, I have to accept that winning the election is not his number one priority.

His number one priority is signing us up to the EU. The General Election is now his second priority.

This change of policy has been brought about by the problem he has with the Conservative Party, namely that he is not the leader of one party but of two parties, the rank and file supporters on the one hand and the elitist establishment and social cohorts on the other.

He can’t afford to offend either. Why? Because over the next critical months he needs their votes. With a working majority he is home and dry anyway, but with a coalition being the most likely result, he needs to head the party with the largest number of MPs to ensure he has control of the arrangements for the implementation, conduct, control of the referendum. This I call Cameron’s Double Indemnity Strategy (double insurance policy).

The question for those of us who wish to save our sovereignty must be – is there anything we can do? Yes, there is.

We can elect enough Eurosceptic MPs – Conservative, Labour, Ukip and Liberal –to ensure the arrangement’s wording, timing etc for the conduct of the referendum are free of manipulation, duplicity, and ambiguity.

Origins of a noted phrase

From: William Dixon Smith, Welland Rise, Acomb, York.

DISCOVERING the origin of any popular phrase or saying is a tricky business (The Yorkshire Post, February 28).

The phrase “Not tonight, Josephine” as mentioned in Brian Sheridan’s letter was almost certainly coined by the vaudeville lyricist William A Heelan (fl. 1899-1920) as the title of a song.

It was first published in 1910 and tells the story of a clerk who, pleading poverty, continually rebuffs the advances of an attractive stenographer. Her affections are at last happily transferred to an equally impecunious, but provident colleague.

Since the celebrated first wife of Napoleon was known as Josephine, and the phrase susceptible to interpretation, it may be that ever-inventive popular imagination forged a link.

If Brian H Sheridan wishes to resolve matters beyond dispute, the field is wide open.

Plagued by cold callers

From: Jean Abbey, Easingwold.

I HAVE just read Bill Carmichael’s article (The Yorkshire Post, February 27) about cold calling and agree wholeheartedly with his comments.

My mother is 95 and lives in sheltered accommodation, with assistance, but she too is plagued by cold callers. The most recent one is from some firm talking about boiler maintenance and asking to speak to her husband (he died 30 years ago).

I happened to answer the phone once while I was visiting and explained to the young man that my father was dead and my mother found his calls distressing.

His reply? “Oh well, I will tell you then.” I wonder if he thinks his mother is proud of him?

Nothing to complain over

From: David Bradley, Arden Court, Horbury, Wakefield.

I DON’T know what West Yorkshire police and crime commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson is complaining about (The Yorkshire Post, March 2).

There is a new police HQ in Normanton, a huge amount spent at Kirkhamgate building new facilities but still the fire control centre sits empty at Paragon.

Fancy cars everywhere, the spending goes on.