YP Letters: Brexit voters were under no illusions

BREXIT has been called the “revolt of the peasants against their masters” who, in turn, believed the lower orders were too thick or stupid to know what they were voting for.

It is this insufferable attitude that has spawned “populism” all over Europe and the US with Hillary Clinton calling them (us) “deplorables”. We, the peasants, knew exactly what we were voting for and the goings-on in Brussels. Staying in the EU would not be a vote to stay where we are now. The EU is not static – it is a dynamic, moving forward treaty by treaty to ever closer union.

It would be a vote to acquiesce to what’s coming down the track and no more opt-outs. With our bluff called, Brussels demanding more from member states, the UK would be supplicant, never again to say “no”. The game is now up. Just walk away into WTO rules and let Brussels stew a while until they return with a reasonable deal.

From: G Kirkwood, Brandesburton, Driffield

VERY little has been said about what would have happened if we had voted remain. David Cameron would have stayed as Prime Minister and negotiated nothing with the EU. Angela Merkel would have said “we have accepted thousands of immigrants, you have got to take your share” and sent thousands to Britain. The PM would have said “we have got to work with the EU”.

It would have been a housing crisis. I think Theresa May is doing a great job. The way Conservative MPs are treating her is appalling. I wish her every success.

Tidy work by one council

From: Susan Garnham, Hollins Grove, Allerton Bywater.

IT saddens me a great deal that having worked for 45 years, and for 35 years of my life I have lived in the Leeds area paying council tax and now rent to them, but that Leeds City Council cannot be bothered to have the grassed areas cut around where I live.

When I travel through to Castleford and Pontefract, it is entirely different. I see the grass cutting crews keeping the areas nice and neat and tidy – what a difference. If Wakefield Metropolitan Borough Council can cut grassed areas then why can’t Leeds City Council? I do not pay them not to do any work, so please get these areas cut and make where people live better.

Valuable contribution

From: David Owen, Eldwick.

THE current disgraceful position of the Labour party shows no signs of abating and, leaving aside the Israeli politics, I would hope that they take a little time to consider the great contribution that our Jewish friends and fellow citizens have made to this country.

Leeds, in particular, has benefited from their industry and charitable works over many years. If all communities gave as much to society, we would all benefit (The Yorkshire Post, August 1).

The wrong connection

From: Canon Michael Storey, Healey Wood Road, Brighouse.

I DO have a mobile phone – kept in a safe place and used for emergencies (The Yorkshire Post, August 2). Am I missing something? Do people really need to check their smartphones every 12 minutes?

Forty hours a week online?! I find these quite disturbing statistics. Am I arrogant in thinking that people are really so unsure of themselves as to need these frequent connections? Perhaps a bit more faith in God might help!

Alternatives to fossil fuels

From: Glyn Wild, Highfield Terrace, Swinton, Malton.

I KNOW that Lorraine Allanson likes to ‘wind up’ fracking sceptics (The Yorkshire Post, August 2), but I thought her latest letter merited a brief response.

The Green Party has for a long time advocated a massive programme of better insulation for all homes, and the adoption of a citizens’ basic income.

Both these proposals would help tackle fuel poverty and create jobs at the same time. But the basic issue is that shale gas is a fossil fuel. We are already seeing the devastating effects of a warmer, more volatile climate.

We do not need to literally feed the flames by using more fossil fuels but to invest now in the more benign and readily available alternatives.

Tackling pay gap injustice

From: Phillip Donnelly, Low Town, Kirkburton, Huddersfield.

I’M sure many readers like
myself are sick to death of reading about “gender pay gaps” (The Yorkshire Post, August 2). 
For more than 40 years, it has been illegal to pay women less than men for doing the same work.

There are, however, serious distortions caused particularly by the obscene levels of pay (of yes, mostly male) chief executives in large companies.

One would have thought Rachel Reeves, as a Labour MP, would have been more concerned to tackle this genuine injustice rather than indulge in the usual self-serving feminist flannel.

Lost favourite

From: Mick Walton, Armthorpe, Doncaster.

HAVING watched the recent celebrations of 50 years of Yorkshire Television, I was saddened by the fact legendary forecaster Bill Foggitt didn’t get a mention and Doncaster’s Bob Rust only got the briefest of glimpses. I would have hoped that many years’ service to Yorkshire TV would have been better rewarded.