Why can’t we learn from history?

THE revelation by our coalition Government that our involvement in Libya might take a lot longer than was originally envisaged is no surprise at all. Quite frankly any sensible voter could have told them that for nothing!

Not only did New Labour catch a crab by involving us in the ongoing and highly expensive Afghanistan war, now it would appear that the coalition have fallen into the same trap, resulting in us having to fork out even more of taxpayers’ money on another fruitless endeavour and in even more cuts in our services to make up the shortfall.

It’s all very well William Hague stating that our current involvement will help stabilise the Middle East, but in all fairness I think the UK over the last 50 years has involved itself far too much in their affairs. I would have thought that given the current situation our country finds itself in, a little more prudence by the coalition would have been more sensible rather than immediately leaping on the bandwagon with France in an effort to bring down Gaddafi and his dictatorship.

Although we are a member of the UN, there must surely come a time when we as a country have to say “no” to conflict, especially when our Armed Forces are being severely trimmed.

All this proves to me is that successive governments seem quite unable to learn anything from previous errors in history, and merely continue to lurch on from one catastrophe to another at our expense.

Cruising’s loss of character

From: Mrs JM Andrews, Back Lane, Easingwold, York.

I WRITE in response to the article on cruising with P & O featuring David Dingle (Yorkshire Post, April 9), now, sadly, Carnival.

For various reasons, my husband and I gave up cruising some time ago. Since being sold to Carnival, the ships have been built bigger and bigger and have lost their style, resembling instead a block of flats.

The ports, particularly the Caribbean islands, have lost their individuality. Disembarking 3,000 passengers at the first US port, with their current immigration, system very often takes half a day.

Mr Dingle’s suggestion that the Channel Islands should have port facilities for so-called super liners would be a disaster. These lovely islands must keep their character. We don’t want St Thomas or St Maarten in the English Channel. Let them stay where they belong – in America.

Republicans won’t spoil day

From: Maureen Hunt, Woolley, near Wakefield.

WHAT on earth is happening to this crazy country when it is reported that Graham Smith, the campaign manager and executive officer of the pressure group Republic, is in talks with the BBC for a broadcast on the eve of the Royal wedding on April 29?

The crass insensitivity of the BBC in arranging for an anti-monarchist to air his views at such a time is unbelievable. Do they intend to invite Richard Dawkins to discuss atheism on Christmas Eve? Have they considered the offence they might give to William and Kate, the Royal Family and the huge majority of the country who are monarchists?

Peter Sissons, an erstwhile BBC newsreader, is amazed that the BBC even agreed to meet Graham Smith, let alone give him prime time coverage on radio and television. He says that the BBC has a left wing bias, which is now clearly evident. Of course Republicans have every right to their opinion, but do they have to try to spoil the party? Bill Carmichael, in part of his customary excellent article “Royally Angry” (Yorkshire Post, April 8) pops it beautifully into a nutshell when he writes: “Why are people on the Left so angry all the time... and invariably eye-poppingly furious about one thing or another?”

Perhaps the BBC does not fully comprehend that this is not just “a Royal Wedding” but is a marriage of, hopefully, a future King and Queen. It is a great event of international interest, which will be beamed around the globe and enhance our reputation as a tourist destination. Our national identity is involved with the monarchy, as it has been for hundreds of years of turbulent history. May the sun shine on Prince William and his bride on their wedding day and let nothing occur to mar their happiness.

Changing stations

From: Iain Morris, Caroline Street, Saltaire, Shipley.

YOU say that Jonathan Wild’s great-uncle Fritz spent his first night in England in the waiting room of Bradford station (“Last cuppa at Bettys as top man bows out”, Yorkshire Post, April 6).

Which one? Bradford has always had two main line stations; Exchange, which was demolished and replaced close by at the Interchange, and Forster Square which has also been demolished and replaced by a new station near at hand.

The two stations were considerably larger than the stations we have today, both had impressive railway hotels that stand tall today and large adjacent goods yards. Bradford was to be the richest city in Europe in 1910 on the back of the wool trade and this is what may have attracted the ancestors of Jonathan Wild to this area of England.

There are six Bettys tea rooms – two in Harrogate, two in York, Northallerton and Ilkley. I am old enough to remember a Bettys tea room on a once bustling Darley Street in Bradford. Does Jonathan Wild recall this, as he is six years younger than myself?

Plane facts about engine

From: Bob Monkhouse, Teddington Avenue, Dalton, Huddersfield.

I FOUND the story of the secret war flight fascinating (Yorkshire Post, April 9). However there is one slight inaccuracy in the story. The photo of the engine from the aircraft says it is a Merlin engine but it is in fact a Bristol Hercules which – unlike the V12 dohc, four valves per cylinder superchargered Rolls Royce Merlin – is a double row 14 cylinder radial sleeve valve engine.

Both of these engines, sectioned and powered by electric motors, can be found on display almost alongside each other at the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington airfield, just outside York.