Tuesday's Letters: Clegg just says what he knows the voters want to hear

I carry no torch for any of them but I have to marvel both at the surge in popularity of Nick Clegg, he of the photogenic charm and honest gaze into the camera, and the apparent gullibility of the voting public in accepting his word.

He is saying exactly what he knows people wish to hear and I would, with respect, ask voters to carefully divorce that from what their own common-sense must tell them is not feasible.

There is also the small matter of his repeated claim to truth and honesty. What happened to the referendum that Mr Clegg promised us on Europe?

From: Brian V Large, St Wilfreds Close, North Muskham, Newark.

From: Terry Morrell, Willerby, East Yorkshire.

HOW many billions were mentioned during the great TV debate? Do we really appreciate what a billion is?

A billion seconds ago, we were in 1958. A billion minutes ago, Jesus walked the earth. A billion hours ago, no animal walked the face of the earth.

How many billions has this Government stacked up in our debit account?

From: Ann Clarke, Wold Croft, Sutton on Derwent, York.

WHAT a damp squib the so-called leaders' debates have turned out to be. In no way could what we have endured be termed a "debate".

The participants have just made statements at each other with absolutely no opportunity to develop their arguments. Perhaps the whole thing has been designed to appeal to the Britain's Got Talent brigade.

All that is lacking are the usual inane whoops and screams from the baying mob which usually accompanies these shows. A pity we couldn't have the phone-in vote and that would have done away with the need for a proper election.

From: W Ruddlesden, Upper Hoyland Road, Hoyland, Barnsley.

HOW refreshing to have a front page photograph (Yorkshire Post, April 22) of beautiful spring flowers rather than the political weeds that have recently taken root and are proving difficult to eradicate.

From: Stan Johnson, Wilsic Road, Tickhill, Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

BECAUSE of the politicians' expenses scandal, and the general feeling of mistrust in politicians of all parties, many people are saying that they have no intention of voting in the forthcoming election.

While I can understand some of the reasons for the level of apathy, I do hope the men and women in South Yorkshire will think again and cast their votes for the individual candidates who have already given a quality service to their constituents. Many of those work extremely hard and have not been dishonest in respect of their expenses.

Come on South Yorkshire folk, rise above much of the so-called political debate, which at the moment seems to be so unproductive. Go out and vote for those who have served you well locally.

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Acomb, York.

I SUGGEST that Duncan Hamilton (Yorkshire Post, April 24) thinks again about not voting on May 6.

I agree that all three main parties are grim. However, not voting will not change anything nor anybody one iota. A very low turnout will have absolutely no effect on changing the style and attitude of our current selection of MPs.

From: Mrs CJ Brooke, North Parade, Burley-in-Wharfedale, West Yorkshire.

THE election – what a dreary thought! May I put forward some of my ideas for a better government. If someone had the guts to carry out some of my preferences, I would vote for their party wholeheartedly.

n Withdraw from the EU, thereby releasing all the monies paid to Brussels.

n Forthwith, no more immigration whatsoever.

n Let the punishment fit the crime.

The powers that be should never forget this country is an island. The United Kingdom is not a physical part of Europe. Our government, of whatever colour, should be more concerned with putting the "Great" back into Great Britain and restore the esteem in which this country was

once held.

From: David Pickering, Gloucester Road, Stonegravels, Chesterfield.

WHEN Ukip get in excess of a one million Conservative votes at the election, will David Cameron change his policies (assuming that he is still the party leader) on immigration and also by giving us a referendum on the EU?

Is Mr Cameron scoring a massive own goal by not giving his supporters what they want now?

We pay price for cardboard councillors

From: JA Wilding, Westfield Rise, Hessle, East Yorkshire.

THE other week, I almost choked on my cereals when informed that

cardboard policemen were to be introduced in Hull city centre stores to deter criminals.

However, a little later I was inclined towards apoplexy when discovering they were not to be outdone, and East Riding Council had in their midst several cardboard councillors.

I was absolutely amazed that in these times of financial restraint certain elected members had seen fit to vote for a payment of 360,000 towards Sue Lockwood's retirement pension. I do not doubt that the said lady may have given outstanding service during her time as director of corporate services, but surely a more modest award would have been appropriate when any payment was discretionary, and not mandatory.

I know of several excellent councillors who serve the East Riding well, but in the case of the cardboard characters they would be better off posing as road signs or blowing up balloons at the annual Christmas party.

Why in the name of sanity were the five or six elected members who called for restraint ignored when they had the interests of taxpayers at heart? It really beggars belief. Actually, in some instances, cardboard councillors may well be advantageous as they would be less inclined to stick their hands up and vote for such extravagances from the public purse.

Traitors to our identity

From: D Harrop, Malton Street, Sheffield.

NO, Ian Hirst, your comments are not racist, they are absolutely correct (Letters, Yorkshire Post, April 12), so please do not apologise for anything.

The racism thesis still so prevalent today is a construct of the political polemicists active today in politics, in the social services, local government, the media, and in the Labour Party, and it is largely these categories of people from whom the polemics of racism emanates.

How are we to describe these people who, after many years, defame and vilify and ridicule and call racist anyone or any party which promotes the view that English national identity and English national pride have real authenticity? How can we characterise them?

When the German Army over-ran Norway in 1940, Major Vidkun Quisling of the Norwegian Army collaborated with the army of occupation, and recommended the Norwegian people to likewise collaborate.

After the war, Major Quisling met a just and appropriate end; from that time his name has signified the collaborator and the traitor. Those whose ideologically driven politico-economic programme over-rides the imperative to preserve the integrity of the nation of England intact, in my view can properly be called Quislings.

Forward thinking

From: Bob Watson, Springfield Road, Baildon, Shipley, West Yorkshire.

YOU ask in your Editorial (Yorkshire Post, April 22) whether it is the right time for Government quangos such as Yorkshire Forward to be abolished – or have their powers greatly reduced.

In my view, although Yorkshire Forward may have done a decent job in some areas, there is no doubt that their powers should be much reduced.

That they are unanswerable to those people who pay their wages (the taxpayers) is undeniable. Just ask the people of Bradford, who have seen this agency work to their own agenda and totally disregard what so many people want for their city.

This has been exacerbated by the imposition of flawed consultations, apparently slanted towards the quango's wishes.

Until this sort of situation ceases, there will continue to be a

clamour in some quarters for substantial changes to be made.

We are all counting the cost of EU membership

From: D Wood, Thorntree Lane, Goole.

IN his article (Yorkshire Post, April 19), Lord Wallace proved beyond any doubt that the Liberal Democrats haven't a clue how to run the country and, therefore, will hand over complete control to the EU.

Having read this complete load of tripe, one has to wonder if this man lives in the real world. He states that "the belief that the EU

presents the greatest threat to British sovereignty is far from reality".

Yet when just about every piece of our legislation is supplied by the EU or has to be sanctioned by the EU the truth of the matter is the EU is a very real threat to our sovereignty. The simple fact is that the EU interferes in just about every aspect of our daily lives; even our cricket bats are under threat because the EU is banning methyl bromide.

Lord Wallace also states that our police have to work closely with Europol – the only reason for this is the huge influx of foreign criminals coming to this country from the EU who when they are caught cannot be deported because of the Human Rights Act.

He also mentions defence cuts, but our annual net contribution to the EU would easily pay for the two aircraft carriers with about a third to spare.

We could also save a further four to seven billion a year by pulling our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, where our brave young men and women are dying needlessly and not for Britain as our pathetic politicians tell us.

On top of our net contribution, the red tape which the EU spews out costs British industry about 100m a year.

From: Keith Hill, Wheatley Hills, Doncaster.

SHOULD we not beware of Greeks begging gifts?

Thatcher's philosophy

From: Malcolm P Dobson, Rawdon, Leeds.

TOM Howley (Yorkshire Post, April 21) wheeled out the oft quoted remark from Mrs Thatcher that "there is no such thing as society".

If we all become aware that Mrs Thatcher went on to say "there are individual men and women and there are families. No government can do anything except through people, and people must look to themselves first. It's our duty to look after ourselves and then, also to look after our neighbour. People have got the entitlements too much in mind, without the obligations".

We can all make our interpretation of what she meant by these words. But at least having her words in full allows for a more informed opinion.

Missing name

From: Susan Payne, Long Meadows, Burley in Wharfedale, Ilkley.

I VISITED Skipton the other day and went to see the splendid Freddie Trueman's statue and noticed there was no inscription indicating who it was. There were a lot of visitors, and many non-cricket enthusiasts were asking who the statue was of. Is there any reason for not having a name plate on the statue?