November 2: Time to stop laughing and fix the railways

From: Ray Marshall, Holmdene Drive, Mirfield.

REGARDING your headline ‘North left laughing stock by outdated railways’ (The Yorkshire Post, October 29).

I couldn’t agree more with your Editorial. Earlier this year we went from Leeds to Morecambe. Two-and-a-half hours on a really old bone shaker of a train. No buffet.A friend of ours recently made the same journey and complained to the operator. No real result.

So don’t laugh at the North, get something done soon.

Eat less, not tax more

From: Catherine Watson, Norman Road, Hatfield, Doncaster.

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ONCE again we have been given the answer to the obesity problem – the sugar tax. How that can possibly stop the increase in the numbers of overweight people?

We are constantly being bombarded by the latest cure-all for obesity when there is one simple answer – do not eat so much.

I write as one who has had to wrestle with my tendency to put on weight through my life and there has always been a point beyond which I would not go – so down to smaller portions and eating less to bring my weight back to an acceptable level.

I’m not dismissing all the psychological and financial difficulties that some families may have, but please can someone just get the message out to use a smaller plate and stop trying to solve the problem with yet another Governmental regulation.

Mothers are to blame

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

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THE annual IPPR North report on the State of the North (The Yorkshire Post, October 27) bemoans the failings of the under-fives here in comparison to the South. It would be interesting to have the full report.

I, for one, wonder if the children of parents where the mother does not speak English is a disadvantage to young children before they enter formal schooling where they seem to quickly learn from their peers.

Also, the increase in the number of mothers pushing their charges in pushchairs facing away from them whilst talking on texting on their phones must surely have an effect on those children’s learning. Are these mothers in the lower income bracket? More facts please.

Bishops have rights too

From: Don Metcalfe, Annes Court, Southowram, Halifax

I AM upset and dismayed at GP Taylor’s latest piece (The Yorkshire Post, October 28). The bishops are but a small part of the C0E and have as much right as anybody else to lobby the Government.

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Perhaps if he had been a part of the congregation at Halifax Minster recently he would 
have heard Nick Baines speak out.

Perhaps GP Taylor thinks the young doctors should not air their grievances.

Do I feel irrelevant? No. I and many thousands like me will continue to do the things we do in the community and in our regular worship.

GP Taylor, shame on you.

Far from penniless

From: Paul D’Silva, Fitzwilliam Street, Swinton, Mexborough.

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REGARDING your story ‘Are You Being Served writer died penniless’ (The Yorkshire 
Post, October 29). I was sadden to see The Yorkshire Post sliding into sensationalism with the coverage of the Jeremy Lloyd estate.

Both the headline and the opening sentences of the article described Mr Lloyd as being ‘penniless’ but then went onto say that the estate was worth £59,218.

This is far from penniless. I enjoy The Yorkshire Post, it is a lively mixture of local, regional, national and international news and debate but please do not let it slide into mediocrity with lazy, sensationalist reporting.

Half-truths in EU debate

From: Peter Hyde, Kendale Drive, Driffield.

DAVID Cameron comes across as less than honest when he talks about negotiations with the EU.

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I think he is trying hard to renege on his promise of a referendum and will come up with a renegotiated package to try to fob off the outers and give the inners the edge when it comes to the actual vote.

Sadly he is morphing into Tony Blair with half-truths. Come on Mr Cameron, tell us the truth and let MPs have a free vote.

From: Philip Baggaley, Sproatley, Hull.

I THOROUGHLY agree with the letter from Tim Hunter regarding leaving the EU (The Yorkshire Post, October 29). Just simply stopping the payments should have some effect, they will then probably want nothing to do with us or throw us out. My only question is, how long will it take to disconnect our selves from the EU, A month, a year, 10 years?

Clueless Corbynites

From: Tony Fall, Oats Royd Mill, Luddenden.

I WAS appalled to read that some of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour shadow cabinet seem to have no idea what they’re doing. Their Shadow Health Minister, Heidi Alexander, said that she had absolutely no idea where the money promised for the NHS by Labour was going to come from.

I’m not sure I’d want to risk my vote on Labour. Ed Miliband was incompetent but Jeremy Corbyn’s lot take the biscuit!