Rhythm of the streets needs to be heard

sometimes it is hard to articulate without anger, especially after watching Andrew Neil on the BBC giving us his synopsis of our political masters and their roots of omnipotence shared educational broad space and known remoteness from the majority.

It is the beginning of a new century and here we are feeling Victorian, the working classes being put back in their place, incremental destruction of support networks for the poor and disadvantaged. Padlocks on the forest gates, gamekeepers and poaches return aplenty.

The programme’s worrying theme became obvious. If you do not have the right money, you are barred from the entry points to public service in the form of councillor and beyond. The superclass of 2011 from the Commons through to council officials and their underlings who control education, health etc are building their own huge power base. Subtle though it is, I believe it is the most influential in history.

The working classes are portrayed and marginalised in silly shows such as Shameless which does nothing to rebuild broken working class heartlands where desperation is humming like a swarm of bees.

Where indeed are the interested groups of men and women going to go if they cannot promote a brother representative?

The only way around this is for people to stand as independents on a paper candidacy with a one-off mission statement telling the rest how it is and steering their neighbourhood in a suitable direction, it used to start in the local community centres.

So come on, for the sake of democratic debate, where are the next Scargills and Skinners?

It is all healthy if it’s from a mixed source, it is called pro-active democracy where everyone’s viewpoint is given the chance, not the secret research and opinions needed as advertised and touted for on the internet as a middle-class political questionnaire.

The rhythm of the street jungle needs to be heard.

Try Blair as war criminal

From: P Capstick, Hellifield, Skipton.

with reference to the letter from D Birch (Yorkshire Post, January 29), Tony Blair should be tried as a war criminal. He invaded Iraq.

To go to war on a lie must be one of the most (if not the most) vile atrocities open to man, and two wrongs do not make a right.

Peace and democracy are not brought about by such actions, just the opposite. Right-minded people speak the truth, not lies. They think first, and then consider how their actions will affect others.

They are not selfish.

To try to appease his actions by saying wars come and go is as futile as war itself.

From: AE Fletcher, Spey Drive, Auckley, Doncaster.

IF any military personnel are killed or injured through lack of personal protective equipment, shortage of ammunition, transport or helicopters and armoured vehicles not fit for purpose, the senior civil servant, department minister and Prime Minister should all be charged with criminal negligence and corporate manslaughter, as they would be if they were running a private company.

Too many brave people are being slaughtered and maimed because of their cost savings and incompetence.

Keeping the facts straight

From: John C Jackson, Long Meadows, Burley-in-Wharfedale.

THE interesting article by Tony Earnshaw about Eric Portman, the largely forgotton but once internationally famous Halifax-born actor who died in 1969, contains an often repeated error about Portman’s date of birth (Yorkshire Post, January 29).

Earnshaw perpetuates the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography’s assertion that Eric Portman was born on July 13, 1903, when, in fact, his date of birth was July 13, 1901. And, as David Glover, the Halifax historian has pointed out, the ODNB contains another inexactitude – namely, that Portman’s second forename was Harrison (his mother’s maiden name) whereas it was Harold.

Another widely held belief is that Portman was born at 20 Chester Road, Akroydon, Halifax, where his family subsequently resided, but, in truth, his place of birth was 71 Chester Road. I can testify to the accuracy of the above since, as superintendent registrar for Calderdale, I have custody of the register containing Eric Portman’s birth.