Southern bias threatens 
our museums

I HAVE been to all three of the major Northern museums under threat, and enjoyed my visits (Yorkshire Post, June 6). I went there not as a tourist, but as a resident of the Yorkshire and Humber region, where I have lived since 1987. And I think it is disgusting that there is talk of closing any of these excellent attractions, like York’s National Railway Museum, Bradford’s National Media Museum or Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry.

I’m sorry, but yet again it is a case of the powers that be favouring the South. For London has many museums, with many of their visitors being overseas tourists.

So why should they be subsidised by the British taxpayer? I would be interested to see a breakdown of such attendances, which I’m sure would show that the Northern museums were mainly supported by UK citizens.

Thus before looking at axing any sites, the first action taken should be to impose charges for non-UK residents.

From: H Marjorie Gill, Clarence Drive, Menston.

REGARDING the museums threatened with closure, why not make a charge for them. I’m sure that they would pay for themselves if such charges were made and think it stupid and bigoted to say otherwise.

Treat hospitals more fairly

From; Hugh Rogers, Messingham Road, Scunthorpe.

THE Professor Sir Bruce Keogh circus has been in town, but to describe its visit to Northern Lincolnshire and Goole hospitals as being “in the wake of Mid Staffordshire” is totally unfair and serves only to inflict harm upon a Trust which is neither failing nor badly run.

The fact that the NLAG mortality rate indicator (a statistic which is not without its flaws) is, like the other Trusts under the spotlight, slightly higher than the national average, should be viewed as a matter which 
involves the whole local care community.

I, for one, am getting mightily fed up with the way our hospitals are being cast as “Aunt Sallies” – a role which, in my experience they do not, and probably never have deserved.

Rating the Navy correctly

From: Lester May, Reachview Close, Camden Town, London.

THE Shadow Chancellor criticised the Royal Navy and Royal Marines last week, peddling the urban myth that there are more admirals than ships. Ed Balls was too lazy to look at the RN website, where the senior Naval Staff page lists all 
the serving flag and general officers, many of whom are in non-naval posts in the MoD and Nato.

He would find, too, that the fleet has rather more ships than admirals, however one counts them.

He is clearly hopeless with simple figures and I wonder what else this man tells us that is just plain wrong?

Politicians should be concerned about the number of ships in today’s fleet, less so about the number of admirals. With over 90 per cent of UK trade in merchant ships, the protection of sea trade remains an important role of the Royal Navy.

Not just about ships, Mr Balls would do well to remember that the Navy has submarines, naval aircraft and air stations, training establishments, operations centres, reserve forces and the Royal Marines. Perhaps, next time he attacks the Royal Navy, Balls should “tell it to the Marines”!

Knowing what absolutely irks

From: Bob Swallow, Townhead Avenue, Settle.

I REFER to Ian McMillan’s column (Yorkshire Post, June 4). He has some pet hate words, one being “absolutely”, used as an exclamation!

I have two hate words – “you know”. If I knew then there would be no need to waste time listening any more. There are some sports people who are very good speakers though they are in a minority.

When one of the “you know” brigade blights our television screen, I do one of two things. Either switch the TV off or count just how many times “you know” is thrown at us.

Either way, I am left not knowing what he or she was trying to impart. The record is held by – and this will surprise you – a professional footballer recently retired. Twenty two times “you know” was thrust at the long suffering public.

What was he talking about? No idea. Totally lost on me.

Absolutely!