Tuesday's letters: Forget politicians, the people know best

From: Gerald Jarratt, Baghill Road, Tingley, near Wakefield.

I VENTURE to disagree with the view expressed by Rotherham Labour MP Denis MacShane that "there is no perfect electoral system" (Yorkshire Post, July 6).

Being a professional politician, Dr MacShane is concerned with gaining power to rule and thereby avoids contemplating other political systems which might challenge the status quo.

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I submit that the nearest approach to the perfect political system is that enjoyed by the Swiss who are the only people in the world to enjoy true democracy.

In 1858, they adopted a constitution based on government by referenda. In essence, the Swiss people tell the politicians what to do rather than politicians telling them what they must do. If they are concerned about a particular matter, a given number of signatures to a petition triggers a referendum, the result of which is binding on the government. All constitutional change is automatically referred to referendum.

This "power to the people" enabled the Swiss to become one of the richest and most stable nations in the world, permitting them to avoid foreign entanglements and

two World Wars.

Disregarding their own ineptitude, our politicians regard the mass of British people as imbeciles unfitted to be involved in governance. A welcome exception to this was the comment by Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, who said: "The collective wisdom of the British people is much greater than that of politicians or so-called experts."

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When we contemplate the mess our country is in, we can only wish that our collective wisdom had not been disregarded over decades and conclude that it is time for a major change in the political structure of our country.

Dr MacShane will not lose any sleep over this as he knows that the bulk of the electorate is too indolent to make the effort needed to change. Possibly our only hope is that a fringe party will take up the challenge.

How Haworth can move up in the world

From: John Collinson, Oldfield Lane, Oldfield, Keighley.

I REFER to the various articles about Haworth including bidding for world heritage site status (Yorkshire Post, July 8). Investment in Haworth is crucial for its future and I was very pleased with the recent announcement by Bradford Council that it will be investing 600,000 for the repair of the stone setts in Haworth.

I wish to highlight two other areas in the Haworth conservation area that desperately require investment, to bring them up to an appropriate

standard.

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The Old School Room, Church Street. This building was originally constructed by Patrick Bront in 1832 as the National Church Sunday School, and is of great historical importance to Haworth. The building, while being wind and watertight, requires major restoration and conservation works totalling 1m. This would create a building for public access that provides a stage and auditorium for shows and lectures, an area for exhibitions, meeting rooms for local groups and societies, an archive room, a Victorian school room together with associated facilities.

The provision of a wheelchair ramp from the Bradford Council car park to Church Street.This is desperately required, as I regularly speak to visitors who are dismayed at the lack of this provision which means that instead of travelling a few yards to Church Street they have to take a 300-yard detour. The estimated cost of this work is 30,000.

Surely these works are essential for the bid for world heritage status to be successful?

Taking the above two items into account, along with all the other issues, it is of no surprise that Haworth now finds itself on the English Heritage "at risk" register.

Blow for schools

From: Richard Harker, Bramhope, Leeds.

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THE announcement that the Government has cut the Building Schools for the Future programme comes as no surprise (Yorkshire Post, July 6).

The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, claims that the BSF programme was "characterised by overspends, tragic delays, botched projects and needless bureaucracy".

This was not the view I had of the scheme as it operated in Leeds. The schools rebuilt in Leeds under the programme are state-of-the-art and came in on time, and within budget. There were some problems with refurbishment of schools, unseen problems that cost extra money and time. Using BSF funding, Leeds has developed some very exciting places

of learning.

There was a major fault with the BSF programme in that the poor physical condition of a school building did not guarantee it a place in the programme. This means that across Yorkshire there will be some schools in the most dilapidated condition, but with good academic results, among the schools that have lost out. It is the parents, students, governors and staff of these schools who must be bitterly disappointed and left asking: "What will replace the BSF programme?"

Sun and stability

From: Keith Buckley, Guisborough Road, Moorsholm, Saltburn.

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MY wife and I have just returned from our early summer break in Crete. I feel I must write to you with my concerns about the way the current difficulty Greece is experiencing with its economy has been reported back here in the UK.

We saw no evidence of social breakdown on the island, rather everyone seemed to be getting on with life just as usual.

Here at home, we are all working together through our own challenges and to move the economy back to growth, it won't be easy, but we will get there. Similarly, the Greek people know things are not easy for them, but one of their key products, looking after visitors in a stunning environment, is the same, if not better than ever.

In Aghios Nikolaos, where we stayed, the town has invested in its infrastructure over the winter and now visiting there is more delightful than ever.

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Here, we read about how Greece is in meltdown and so wouldn't be the place to go for a holiday, yet nothing could be further from the truth. For sun, sea and safety, the place has no rival.

Route of memories

From: Jack Riley, Flanshaw Avenue, Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

I WAS very interested in your archive picture (Yorkshire Post, June 26) of "Jumbo", the steam engine that ran between Wakefield and Batley, because as a young lad in the 1920s I used that route to visit my relations and lived in Belle Vue and Agbrigg.

The distant buildings to the rear of the trailers were to store the grain brought by barge to the wharf. The buildings to the front of "Jumbo" will be on Calder Vale Road, probably near the location of Brotherton Chemicals and British Jeffrey Diamond.

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Fifty yards to the front of "Jumbo", the road takes a sharp turn to the left and on the inside corner was a flour mill. It was powered by a very large water wheel and when this was not operating hundreds of rats could be seen in the sluice. Further round the corner was a single storey car showroom under the name of Manby's.

The road then swung to the right towards Kirkgate and Ings Road.

As industry dies, UK will be left with relics of skills

From: Coun Mike Jordan, Sherburn Division, North Yorkshire County Council.

IT comes as no surprise to me and many others that we have a report (Yorkshire Post, July 8) that indicates we are in deep economic trouble.

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Way back in the 1970s, it was apparent then that trouble was brewing. One Christmas at the in-laws, I noted that I was the only one in manufacturing sat at the table for dinner. It has got steadily worse.

I just wish someone had realised earlier we need income coming into the "house" from elsewhere to prosper. You cannot make money go round in a circle with public employees just spending locally. Fresh money has to enter the economy from outside. In West Yorkshire, there were a lot of thriving chemical companies such as LB Hollidays, ICI, Yorkshire Chemicals, who alone employed in the thousands – plus you had all the companies that supported them. They went because they were not supported by councils or government office.

We all get goods from China and such now, which means our backyard is nice and clean but, I'm sorry to say this, it helps not one bit.

The jobs are there now, the skills will be going that way, too, and this island will eventually be just a tourist attraction – full of relics showing what we used to do and skills we had.