Stamp price rise to fund sell off

THE price of second-class stamps is rising from 36p to 50p with first class up from 46p to 60p. It will hit pensioners, many of whom still send a lot of letters and birthday cards. Plus small businesses and charity mailings. It will inevitably lead to postmen and women losing their jobs in the future as the volume of mail plummets. And it will cut visits to struggling post offices which we need at the centre of our local shopping parades.

Why ? Because the coalition Government wants to make the Royal Mail an attractive investment to sell to the private sector.

Sporting anthem

From: Godfrey Bloom, UKIP MEP for Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire.

THERE should be a popular referendum for an English national anthem for purely sporting events in the UK to complement the Irish, Scottish and Welsh hymns. We cannot let the devil have all the best tunes.

Way forward

From: AB Collier, Burlington Court, Gordon Road, Bridlington.

AN open letter to the Home Secretary Theresa May: Send Abu Qatada to France where he would be immediately deported.

Then resign.

New shire

From: Malcolm Hanson, Bachelor Road, Harrogate.

YOUR correspondent Robert Craig of Weston-super-Mare (Yorkshire Post, April 23) thinks Leeds is the capital of Yorkshire rather than York. Maybe he wants the county name changed to Leedshire.

Top pay vote

From: Andrew Mercer, Oxford Road, Guiseley.

WHY can’t the remuneration of council chief executives be subject of a referendum vote? That’s one way of ensuring services improve (Yorkshire Post, April 25).