When Boris Johnson became even more ‘untrustworthy’ – Yorkshire Post Letters

NO further evidence was really needed that we have a prime minister who is often, at best, economical with the truth (The Yorkshire Post, July 31).

The Office of Statistical Regulation’s recent report over the rising level of child poverty – a national disgrace – again reveal systematic abuses of reality by Boris Johnson who, of course, bogusly claims the exact opposite.

He is a walking definition of the word dissembler. His type of politics, which bends truth to what is in his personal or party political interests, is a dangerous threat to our democracy.

This goes way beyond left or right, Tory or Labour. It has reared its ugly head to pervert our responses to the Covid-19 pandemic and to the EU. These mistakes will likely define this entire era.

We have allowed ourselves to be steered into perilous waters and must soon change direction, or flounder.

From: Coun Dale Smith (Con), Wharfedale Ward, Bradford Council.

LOCKDOWN has been a mixture of opportunities taken as well as those missed. Covid-19 hit us all smack between the eyes – by surprise and unprepared.

It has brought home to us in spades how reliant we are upon others – from carers, shoppers, neighbours, friends and families, to say nothing about local shops, the phone, broadband, Zoom, the postman and the newspaper boy!

Leaving aside for now the reaction of government, councils etc, I want to reflect upon lessons we should learn (Sir Ed Davey, The Yorkshire Post, July 30).

People need people. We need to interact to give and get support. We need to respect people with their complex and amazing differences, diversity and skills. Look deep into their hearts before judging.

We must not forget this utter dependence upon others and continue to strive for a fairer society, always levelling up rather than down yet promoting opportunities and individual responsibility. Stay safe.

From: Robert and Sarah Holland, Skipton Road, Cononley, Keighley.

AT last the Government is looking at plans for the future of social care in England. Downing Street is considering that NHS should take social care over from local councils.

This may bring welcome relief to many, including the managers who run care homes now and to ourselves in our 80s.

But we do not trust this Government to run NHS and social care. The NHS should be part of local government.

The Government was “reckless”, says an all-party group of MPs, when discharging untested patients from hospitals to care homes and lied about it (Tom Richmond, The Yorkshire Post, August 1).

They failed to start effective track and trace in time, failed to deliver PPE adequately and neglected the expertise of local public health doctors.

Staffing issues have been neglected for years.

England is far too centralised now.

Regional authorities should be established, sometimes led by elected Mayors as in West Midlands and Greater Manchester.

Yorkshire needs one regional authority for this and many other purposes.

Many pensioners like ourselves can afford to pay, and will be happy to pay, National Insurance for these services if they are adequately resourced, the staff are treated properly and they will definitely be reliable.

From: Steve Wilson, Lenton Villas, Idle, Bradford.

THE issue of social care and how to fund it is one of the biggest challenges we face.

It requires a cross-party approach merged with business too, where politics and ideologies are put aside for the common good. There is no single way to crack this nut; equally, there is no getting away from the fact that we will all have to pay more if we are to reach a workable long-term solution.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

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Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson