Why false claims about Brexit elections are just a smokescreen – Yorkshire Post letters

ONCE again your correspondent John Turley claims that the result of the referendum should be ignored as it is too close to call, and in his opinion it is only the Remainers who knew what they were voting for.

This is all a smokescreen as the referendum was simply “do you wish to remain or do you wish to leave?”, with a promise the result would be honoured.

The fact that there was only a 72 per cent turnout means that there was a further 28 per cent who didn’t vote to remain.

His logic in taking the individual parties in last month’s EU elections as being for or against Brexit is flawed logic as neither the Conservative or Labour parties are all one way or the other.

For example he claims that Labour is for Remain, but while Labour Party MPs who are doing everything to prevent Brexit, almost 70 per cent of Labour-held constituencies voted to leave. Hopefully the MPs who are not representing their constitutents will be looking for a job come the next election.

In addition to ignoring his voters, Jeremy Corbyn has turned his back on the steelworkers in Scunthorpe, an area where he should be standing by them and attempting to get the company back on its feet using funds that are currently going into the EU pot.

From: Shaun Kavanagh, Leeds.

WHOEVER enters No 10 has to be a team player with strength and determination, but not someone like the former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who is now at the Foreign Office. He smiles a lot but actually achieves little or nothing.

Then you have the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, Michael Gove, who previously stated he was not right for the job of PM. Why does he enter the race now? It might benefit the country if the recently-resigned Cabinet minister, Andrea Leadsom, becomes PM.

She would have done a better job than Theresa May.

That lady speaks eloquently with sense, both common and otherwise, unlike many MPs in the House of Commons who seem hell-bent on securing their own positions, as opposed to representing their constituents and honouring the 2016 referendum result.

I very much hope she can make it through. If not, the Brexit Party will get in and that could spell the end of both the Conservatives and Labour.

From: Eddie Peart, Broom Crescent, Rotherham.

MICHAEL Heseltine warns that the Northern Powerhouse agenda is at risk due to the Brexit deadlock (The Yorkshire Post, May 30). Perhaps he should have mentioned it to Theresa May – and all those who wish to become PM. Can I remind him the people voted to leave Europe and MPs promised to carry out our wishes? A negotiated deal has not been agreed. That leaves – no-deal.

From: Jarvis Browning, Fadmoor, York.

IF there are more anti-Brexit MPs, it will be difficult to elect the likes off Esther McVey, and others that want to leave without a deal, onto the leadership stage (The Yorkshire Post, May 30).

Branded as criminals

From: Michael Green, Baghill Green, Tingley.

IN an ideal world, children shouldn’t bully each other. But they do. Always have done. And the answer is go on showing them every time, gently but firmly, why it is wrong.

So it is completely appalling to read (The Yorkshire Post, May 30) that, nationally, there have been in one year 10,571 cases of bullying categorised as “race hate crimes”.

Not because there are 10,571 victims. It’s also 10,571 child perpetrators recorded and marked out as criminals. I just do not understand why those, whose role it is to protect children, should think that categorising them officially – and publicly – as criminals is the way forward.

Worries for GP partners

From: Dr Richard Vautrey, BMA GP committee chair, Leeds.

WHILE there has been a modest increase in the number of salaried GPs in practices, worryingly the number of GP partners continues to show a stark decline highlighting the pressures faced by partners, who take on risks that are increasingly seen as outweighing the benefits of running their own practices.

Punitive tax payments related to the current pensions arrangements are also having a serious impact on the retention of these GPs and must be addressed quickly by the Government.

It is good to see an increase in the number of other healthcare professionals working in general practice, and while funding for the expansion of primary care network workforce allocated as part of the GP contract will eventually see a more sustained primary care workforce, there is still much to be done to address the lack of GPs on the frontline as many continue to struggle with rising patient demand.

Council cause of congestion

From: Andrew Thompson, Mount Gardens, Harrogate.

OVER the past few weeks there has been a lot asked about the congestion in the Harrogate area, and also does Harrogate need a bypass?

Once I would have said that we do need a bypass. Now I think a large percentage of congestion has been caused by the actions of North Yorkshire County Council.

About 80 per cent of the traffic lights are not required. Those outside the bottom of the bus station are a complete waste of money, cause confusion to pedestrians and frustration to drivers. I have seen drivers go up Beulah Street – a pedestrian zone – just to avoid them.