Tories take blame if Ukip splits vote

WITH growing disenchantment about the EU, there seems to be some concern within the Conservative Party that support for Ukip could do them serious electoral damage.

Surely what is needed is some arrangement whereby those who favour Ukip could switch their votes to the Conservative candidate if he or she comes in ahead of theirs but behind Labour or the Lib Dems?

I wonder if Messrs. Cameron, Osborne or Hague can think of such a system. Oh yes, it’s the one you comprehensively rubbished during last year’s AV referendum campaign. At the next general election, please don’t warn me about the perils of vote splitting. You’ve already assured me that it’s not a significant problem.

From: Maxwell Laurie, Victoria Terrace, Cockfield, County Durham.

SURELY the real focus on the problem in Rotherham regarding foster parents should be on Ukip itself? This organisation has devoted huge effort to achieve public perception of it as being against all things European.

Why then should its members be surprised if other members of the UK public take them at their own word and act accordingly?

Ukip must solve the problem, not Rotherham.

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

we live in an age of coalition so I have a suggestion for a new alliance. How about a marriage between Labour and Ukip?

Not such common ground there you might say, but they do have one thing in common. They both live in a fantasy world which only touches the real one the rest of us live in, by accident.

Their denial of political realities would be charming if they did not aspire to have at least a say in the running of the country.

Labour and Ukip seem to inhabit a dream world. Labour thinks there is no need for many cuts and we can carry on spending and borrowing. Ukip for their part think getting out of the EU is all we need for the good days to return.

When the dream eventually turned into a nightmare, I am afraid we would be all in it together.

Matters of life, love and death

From: Ken Hartford, Butt Lane, Beverley.

OLYMPIC champion Andrew Triggs Hodge, patron of the CRY charity (Yorkshire Post, November 21), draws attention to what has always been British children’s fear and too frequent actual experience, namely the loss of one or other of their parents, or both very early in life.

I was in an orphanage by 
the age of seven, which was excellent training for the Second World War, which I survived 
and have now reached 86. My seven brothers have died, I was the last.

“Natural” death? What is it? Failure of the heart to cope with stress. All childhood is stressful, even for the apparently physically, mentally and emotionally strong, but we are only animals subject to all the stresses that life entails! God and the Devil make quite a few!

Breast feeding is life-building; loving parenting from both parents is essential for guaranteed “positive thinking” for offspring.

If this is denied by misfortune of any kind, it is essential that children continue to receive loving, gentle but firm 
support towards their development.

My qualification for such assurance of opinion? A loving heart passed on to me by “birthright”.

Cheap shot on booze pricing

From: Steve Wilson, Lenton Villas, Bradford.

MINIMUM pricing of alcohol will not solve all the problems around alcohol abuse but, in the absence of any other alternatives, it is worth trying.

For Morrisons’ director of corporate affairs to be blustering against this on national television puts the supermarket in an extremely poor light. The proposals will have only a modest impact on average strength, branded products. His suggestion that the plc favours a duty and VAT-led approach shows extreme ignorance of the impact of such a policy in recent years on the pub trade.

While pubs and communities have continued to suffer under this punitive taxation, supermarkets have been free to sell often on a loss leader basis.

Shipping local jobs in their hundreds to India is bad enough but, once again, a few more reasons not to shop at Morrisons.

Speak out on bad behaviour

From: Susan Abbott, Melbourne Road, Wakefield.

I TOTALLY agree with Heather Causnett’s reasoning regarding bad behaviour (Yorkshire Post, November 26). I do feel however that we sometimes do need to speak out but in a non-aggressive manner – surprisingly many people do not realise that what they are doing is anti-social behaviour.

I found it ironic however that Ms Causnett suggests that I go to Germany to witness the behaviour of young people there, as she obviously hasn’t read my previously printed letters.

As I come from English/German parentage and still have family and friends in Germany, visiting regularly, last time in September for a local fair (Kirmes) I am well aware of how German children behave.

On our visits we never see 
any bad or disruptive behaviour from anyone. Indeed at the fair, family groups of all ages were enjoying their time together which was lovely to see – and 
I am happy to say that my two young grandchildren with us behaved just as impeccably!