Stop the supermarkets selling alcohol

From: AW Clarke, Wold Croft, Sutton on Derwent, East Yorkshire.

I AM always amazed at how anxious so many people are to persuade the Government to bring in yet more laws with which to reduce our freedoms. This is particularly true regarding the campaign to charge minimum prices for alcohol.

I must admit that I am unable to grasp how the mooted price increase will bring about the desired results by which I presume they believe that it will reduce the mayhem that is frequently found in city centres most weekends after the turning out of clubs.

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I would dispute this, as the situation is mainly brought about by young people, and a relatively small increase is unlikely to have much effect since it appears that a “good night”, by their standards, seems to require at least £50.

It is also argued that alcoholics will be “put off” on account of lack of funds to buy their drug of choice. Sorry, but having 
had some experience of alcoholics I am sure that if they want a drink they will use any means to get it. Certainly an increase in price is unlikely to alter their habit.

There are too many middle class and older people drinking at home. Of course there may be a few cases of over indulging by some of this group but I would submit that it is nothing like the problems caused by the other two categories.

Recently I heard a discussion on this subject on the BBC programme Any Questions and was impressed by hearing James Forsyth, a journalist for the Spectator, who thought that one of the best ideas was to encourage youngsters to do their drinking in a local pub where a mixture of customers, both old and young, plus a good landlord, may have a calming effect on their enthusiasm for getting blind drunk.

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I also happen to believe that the sooner supermarkets are prevented from selling alcohol the better and a return to “off licences” which will, at least, bring about the curbing of the relentless march of the supermarkets’ efforts to drive all other small traders out of business.

Just a lot 
of hot air

From: Karl Sheridan, Selby Road, Holme on Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire.

AT last I have been redeemed by the recent revelations that global warming is merely a myth.

For years I have argued with friends that the Earth’s temperature has always fluctuated and that we are going through one of those stages, and not to worry as man has survived its gradual fluctuations over the generations without any mishap at all: otherwise we wouldn’t still be here!

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Nevertheless I was vilified for having adopted a “head in the clouds” attitude and failing to grasp the “extreme” peril 
that had resulted thanks to the human race and its industry, even though I pointed out that volcanoes had been polluting the atmosphere for billions of years and still the earth and its inhabitants had survived.

The whole “green” issue has been an elaborate con – with 
the ordinary man having to foot the very expensive bill because of a few hysterical scientists who failed to understand the very concept of the Earth’s 
eco-system.

However I doubt very much that this revelation will change the Government’s outlook on “green” policies because of all the lovely cash it has raked in as a result.

Damage of street parking

From: ME Wright, Grove Road, Harrogate.

N BYWATER speaks of parking on pavements (Yorkshire Post, March 16).

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The kerbs here are compacted, with last year’s asphalt patches needing patching themselves, thanks to the persistent inconsiderate behaviour of a growing minority of vehicle parkers.

Whether responsibility rests with Harrogate or North Yorkshire councils, or the police, I don’t know, but clearly none of them gives a damn.

Readers planning to visit Harrogate might be interested to learn that, thanks to the council’s indifference, parking is now permitted on the town’s famous Stray – and it’s free!

LibDems were against invasion

From: Michael Meadowcroft, President, Leeds West Liberal Democrats

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I FIND it frustrating that, despite Richard Hopwood’s thorough analysis of the Iraq war 10 years on (Yorkshire Post, March 18), and despite his justified criticisms of Tony Blair’s role, he fails to mention that, alone of all the major parties, the Liberal Democrats had every one of their MPs present at the crucial parliamentary vote on February 26, 2003, and that all voted against the invasion.

It is surely significant to any review of the war, that the Liberal Democrats took the view that the invasion was illegal under international law.

From: Michael Ross, Dunkeswick, North Yorkshire.

IN Sue Cooke’s letter (Yorkshire Post, March 18) requesting support for Syrian refugees, 
she has omitted to get her facts right.

When the State of Israel was established by the UN in 1948 many thousands of Arabs were given the choice of staying or leaving.

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The majority of those who chose to leave rather than 
remain under Israeli jurisdiction were financially compensated 
for their land.

Those tens of thousands who decided to remain became Israeli citizens and in the main have prospered with the growth of the Jewish state. At no time during that period were they, as Sue Cooke states, “forced to leave their homes”.

It is indeed puzzling that Sue Cooke looks to the British people for funding for these unfortunate people when some of the wealthiest nations in the world with billions of dollars of oil revenue and millions of acres of unpopulated land appear to be reticent in financial terms to support their own people.