Tory history in Murdoch TV repeats

SIR Bernard Ingham’s column (Yorkshire Post, June 20) states categorically that the Government and media have been too close for 15 years. He is 18 years out. Does he forget his beloved Margaret Thatcher handing Rupert Murdoch a TV station?

Also, Sir Bernard must have had a memory loss about his daily exercise of standing on the steps of Number 10 handing out the next day’s Conservative news to every editor in London. After a while, the editor of the Independent refused to toe the line and stopped printing Maggie’s bulletins.

If it was bad news, the public got a dose of Princess Diana on the front page.

Just like Maggie, Cameron is about to hand a TV station to Murdoch. That is Tory history repeating itself.

What I do agree with in Sir Bernard’s column is that when Cameron talks to people he adopts the colour of his audience just like a chameleon. The newspapers of today have lost their way; they should encourage reader participation more and print less rubbish about so-called “celebs”.

The hacking affair has caused damage mainly because News Corporation profited financially from hacking people’s phones. The guilt relating to the hacking of Milly Dowler’s phone should have been borne by Murdoch and the News Corporation, not the entire press.

Cowards on the backbenches?

From: Ian Wingfield, Bamford, Hope Valley.

PATRICK Mercer, as a Conservative, MP is to be commended for putting his head above the parapet: “We must defend our troops, the guardians of our pride” (Yorkshire Post, June 23) and drawing attention, amongst other things, to the tremendous debt we owe our Armed Forces.

Those families who have close involvement with serving or former military personnel would vouch for the discipline and motivation which no other organisation can come close to engendering.

The savage cutting of 20 per cent in army numbers is clearly an easy one to make and with the certainty of no backlash – those affected have no alternative but to take it on the chin with characteristic military phlegm.

As to why there are no serious objections, having already seen the irresponsible actions by the Cameron/Osborne duo – eg scrapping the Harriers which provided front-line defence for the fleet – it is clear they have no inclination to listen, certainly lack the nous to understand and possess an arrogance that prompts a misguided belief in their own self-righteousness.

It would be of some comfort if Patrick Mercer and any other Tory MPs who may share his views on the decimation of our Armed Forces would make their views clearly heard and then, at such time as the next round of cuts is announced, resign the party whip.

From: David H Rhodes, Keble Park North, Bishopthorpe, York.

ON the question of which regiment will be disbanded in the near future, be it the Duke of Wellington or some other, let us pause for reflection (Patrick Mercer, Yorkshire Post, June 23).

Camaraderie, pride, history etc is built up over many years and once lost can never be regained. It is occasionally reported that the number employed at the MoD is nearly as many as the fighting troops. If true, and for cost-cutting purposes, isn’t it there that manpower can be drastically pruned without any loss of efficiency and with a great savings on salary? Alternatively, can we foresee the time that 100 MoD personnel sit round a table planning the mobilisation of a platoon? Get real Cameron.

From: Stephen Nichols, Leyburn Avenue, Lightcliffe, Halifax.

I RECENTLY watched Prime Minister’s Questions, I know, my doctor has told me I need to get out more.

However, standing in for the PM, who was away, presumably looking for his lost child (also absent was his Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon George Osborne who was trying to sort out the financial troubles of some minor European country instead of ours) was, on this occasion the Rt Hon William Hague, the Secretary for State for Foreign Affairs. In the 30 minutes I saw, he looked a proper statesman, does anyone else think the Conservative Party has got the wrong man?

Flagging up patriotism

From: Andrew Suter, Station Road, Ampleforth, York.

WITH reference to your article concerning Coun Andrew Jenkinson of Scarborough (Yorkshire Post, June 23) adorning his taxi with flags of St George to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee and England’s Euro 2012 run, he must be congratulated in his patriotism.

Personally, I took to flag flying at home over 10 years ago and I think he is entitled to show where his colours lie, so to speak.

As for the head of environmental services at Scarborough Council, Mr Andrew Skelton, he should be ashamed of his conduct. Is Coun Jenkinson suggesting he adorns his cab with flags all year round? The answer is clearly no – it is a one off.

From: DR Hanson, Old Lee Bank, Halifax.

COUN Andrew Jenkinson has got some nerve.

If he sincerely wanted to fly the flag for England he would fly it on an English car, not a foreign one.