Wednesday's Letters: Once again, Tories target Britain's manufacturing base

Thatcher and her colleagues raped this country by decimating our manufacturing base. His claim that everyone would suffer as a result of the cuts is nothing short of an insult. Can someone tell me how someone on 60,000 or more per annum will suffer? Perhaps they will have to eat out six days a week instead of seven.

Cameron's decision to withhold an 80m loan to Sheffield Forgemasters is a disgrace. An even bigger disgrace is that it got the backing of Sheffield MP Nick Clegg (Yorkshire Post, June 19).

This loan would have enabled Forgemasters to create jobs. It's amazing how the Liberal Democrats have achieved their U-turn. I sincerely hope that everyone who voted Liberal Democrat is feeling guilty and betrayed by the leaders of this party.

From: Peter Bye, Park Crescent, Addingham.

THERE are a number of points here. If the expansion of Forgemasters business is a "bankable proposition", they should and, probably will obtain 80m from the normal commercial sources ie banks. If theirs is not a "bankable proposition", why should the taxpayer fund it?

What do people not understand by the phrase "there is no money left"? It seems pretty clear to me.

From: RC Curry, Adel Grange Close, Leeds.

THE warnings by Messrs Cameron, Osborne, Clegg and Cable about the serious state of the national economy should leave no-one in any doubt about the likely curtailments of wasteful Labour government expenditure.

The creation of false employment by burdening state functions with hordes of unnecessary jobs has been no answer. The intrusion by government into areas which are the rightful province of commerce and industry has damaged commercial enterprise.

The titbits of enticement and bribery by Brown prior to the election have been proved to be unaffordable false hopes. The workers and jobseekers in areas such as South Yorkshire should vent their spleen on the very absent Mr Brown, not on their own MP who is one left with picking up the tab.

The public should have nothing to fear from being required to think for themselves and, whereas there are undoubtedly some services which government and local authorities should provide for the genuinely needy, there are far too many which are merely props for the indolent to avoid responsibility.

Within Parliament, the growth of expensive advisers must be curtailed and MPs costs kept in check. That has rightly been a huge cause for concern. One might also suggest that local authorities need to look likewise at their own housekeeping. It seems wholly wrong that necessary frontline jobs might be chopped while administrative costs remain unchecked.

To say that the whole system needs a shake up is an understatement. State power with its hidden offices has burgeoned out of all proportion and the time has come when people must accept their own responsibilities while ensuring that the vulnerable are protected.

From: Phil Hanson, Beechmount Close, Baildon, Shipley.

IN the dying days of Gordon Brown's government, Labour made promises that would have made a used car dealer blush. However, unlike the Arthur Daleys of this country, Gordon and company walk away from the wreckage and now accuse the salvage squad of a lack of care and consideration.

So Sheffield and other gullible cities will have to do the same as everyone else and save up.

Yes for those cities that wallowed in New Labour

cash and got more than their share, sporting centres, Arenas etc will have to take their turn and let's hope Bradford and

the like get a slice in the near future.

David Blunkett and the like should be held to account for their gross incompetence rather than griping at the re-emergence of prudent financial management.

From: CD Round, Lee Lane East, Horsforth, Leeds.

TWO reports show how far away the new Government is from reality.

You report the cancellation of the 80m loan (repayable) to Sheffield Forgemasters and 25m for university research.

Later, you report that the Arts Council are only having their multi-million pound grant (not repayable) reduced.

The need to develop this nation's industrial strength is most important. If we do not do this, there will not be any money to fund the Arts Council in the future.

The obvious solution is to cancel the Arts Council grant for this year which would then provide ample funds for industrial investment such as Forgemasters, the need for which I doubt the members of the Arts Council even understand. As they have a surplus in excess of 9m, I am sure they will survive.

Germany and France are the strongest nations in Europe because their wealth comes from industrial and agricultural investment, not from get rich quick bankers, who have brought us to the edge of disaster, using borrowed money to get rich at everyone else's expense.

The borrowing and lending of shares to facilitate share deals should be prohibited.

Worthwhile use for the wind farms

From: David F Chambers, Sladeburn Drive, Northallerton.

REGRETTABLY, tracts of our most spectacular countryside are desecrated by the appalling wind farms. These are vital, we understand, because by adding to the CO2 in the atmosphere we are precipitating a global warming which is the greatest present threat to life on earth.

So a large percentage of our electricity demand is to be met from non-polluting wind power, although this is vastly beyond what we can afford, and unreliable, requiring the building of supportive power stations for cover when the wind strength is not within convenient limits.

Utterly brainless? Surely not, when the basic theory has been presented by climate scientists with very large computers, and backed by statesmen of the calibre of Al Gore, governments worldwide, the EU, the BBC and most of the Press, church leaders, the environmental organisations, Prince Charles and many Hollywood celebrities?

Well, in my naive ignorance the wind power project remained, nonetheless, utterly brainless. We can't remove the wind turbines – too expensive just now. We could, however, disconnect them from the grid and devote their intermittent output to the electrolysis of sea water (cheap, plentiful) to produce hydrogen (storeable) to replace fossil fuel for vehicles. Their only emission would be water vapour. Reputation and prestige would not be unduly damaged.

In fact, I'm sure all the Warmists would agree, particularly as they could adopt the increase in water vapour as the basis for their next scare. If so, I hope that this time, given the financial constraints, their claims will be examined a little more rigorously.

Vital role of the Lords

From: JW Buckley, Aketon, Pontefract.

YOUR letter writer, A Collier, asked: why not scrap the House of Lords, and save money (Yorkshire Post, June 17)?

Take, as an example, the new financial services rgime reported on page four of the same issue.

The House of Commons sets up the new system, and the Commons should monitor the system. But experience teaches us (particularly over the last 13 years) that the House of Commons can't be trusted to do this properly – so, we need someone to watch the watchdogs.

Answer; the House of Lords. Their function is to watch the House of Commons. The existence of the Lords is vital, and if the Lords did not exist, we would need to set one up. It is essential that they are not elected, and while they can absorb a few political party hacks like John Prescott, there needs to be sufficient people there, who know what they have to do, and to do it.

Some measure of the effectiveness of the Lords, is the squealing from the Commons, and the whispering campaign against the Lords.

Alternatives to prison

From: Don Burslam, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

I THINK Ken Clarke talks a lot of sense when he says we send too many people to prison (Yorkshire Post, June 14). After all, he knows a bit about the criminal justice system as an ex-barrister and a former Home Secretary.

I understand we send more people to jail than any comparable country except Turkey. Statistics show that short sentences are largely ineffective as a deterrent. They are very effective in enrolling novices into a sort of college of crime whereby they learn

how to avoid getting caught next time by more experienced offenders.

A far more constructive approach is to get them to do some sort of community service which means they put something back to compensate society for their offences.

There is an awful lot of work waiting out there, eg decorating and gardening for the elderly, clearing up lorryloads of litter and rubbing out graffiti. As keeping someone in prison costs 40,000 a year, I think putting them to work makes far more sense.

The power of nature

From: William Snowden, Butterbowl Gardens, Farnley, Leeds.

I FAIL to appreciate why puerile insults should constitute "Words of the Week" (Yorkshire Post, June 12). I refer to the discourteous comments of David Colquhoun about Prince Charles's belief in alternative therapy.

Professor Colquhoun is a pharmacologist. Advances in medical science have done much to improve the lot of man; to combat disease and to relieve pain and suffering.

It is a noble profession. But it does not confer omniscience,

or entitle its adherents ignorantly to patronise and malign those with whom they disagree.

Drugs are addictive. Far too many people casually and mindlessly take drugs rather than taking natural remedies. All drugs have side effects –some of which may be dangerous.

The best science, that which is enduring and most beneficial, works in harmony with nature rather than seeking to displace or usurp her.

Prince Charles recognises that it is the infinite power of nature which ultimately governs all life on earth.

Reality of public sector pensions

From: Alan Smith, Fitzwilliam Avenue, Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham.

WHY does Tom Richmond (Yorkshire Post, June 19) feel the need to jump on the bandwagon with regards "gold-plated public-sector pensions"?

Most public-sector workers have nowhere near the income on retirement suggested by your columnist. As a nurse of 36 years, I should be looking forward to a reasonably comfortable retirement, but no, I am being warned to look forward to a reduction in my pension and even extended working life.

Grateful thanks

From: Julie Beckett, Post Hill View, Pudsey, Leeds.

I WOULD like to say a huge thank you to the person who handed in my daughter Helen's passport and documents to Leeds Station on Saturday, June 19, after they had been left on the 14.05 train from Bradford to Leeds. We are truly grateful.

Penalty area

From: GJC Reid, Mayfield Road, Whitby.

COULD it be that England football fans are learning what it is like to be a Scotland supporter?