YP Letters: Laura Kuenssberg embodies BBC's bias

LAURA Kuenssberg, the BBC’s political editor, has certainly attracted a lot of attention with her acerbic and aggressive interviewing technique.

With all the charm of a puff adder that has just emerged from a harrowing encounter with a mongoose, she certainly gives her interviewees a tough time.

Her supporters believe that politicians, so skilled in the art of evasion and masters at camouflaging the truth, deserve the torrid time that Laura Kuenssberg seems to revel in.

Her puff adder charm rises demonstrably when confronted with political views that don’t coincide with the entrenched left-liberal establishment agenda that the BBC pursues.

Its role as a natural conformist, leader and propagandist for this clear bias is evidently seen by the Corporation as instead being that of a non-partisan, highly moral central player, and Laura Kuenssberg is seen as a very competent vehicle for exploiting and sustaining this.

No wonder many left and centre-left politicians support the latest legislative attempts to stifle the free activity of newspapers that often act as a countervailing influence in opposition to the political bias of the visual media, particularly the BBC and its most conspicuous performer Laura Kuenssberg.

From: Barbara Cussons, Curly Hill, Ilkley,

LAURA Kuenssberg is far too biased for the job and lets down the BBC and media world.

Loss of faith in the Trust

From: Charles Taylor, Hemingfield Road, Hemingfield, Barnsley.

THE purpose and duty of the National Trust, as I have always understood it, is to preserve and maintain the beautiful countryside and sites of historic interest for the benefit and pleasure of an appreciative public.

I have however noticed, increasingly in the last few years, that the Trust seems to be mainly focused on its own aggrandisement and in the process actually degrading the very things it should be protecting. What were once remote and hauntingly ethereal sights are now defiled with notice boards and signposts.

The photo (The Yorkshire Post, February 19) of the beautiful Brimham Rocks made fatuous and defiled by the installation of the metal ‘Picture Frame’ – slogans and all – confirms my belief that the National Trust is no longer fit for purpose.

I’m sure that the public at large do not want every Trust site turned into a ‘People’s Fun Park’. Be warned – it will be zip wires next!

Challenge of ‘Nimbyism’

From: Mervyn Jones, Chief Executive, Yorkshire Housing.

I READ with interest your editorial ‘Hypocrisy and housing debate’ (The Yorkshire Post, February 16).

I support every bit of the article and want to highlight the important role of housing associations in making more homes available to younger people. In West Yorkshire alone, housing associations built 1,100 last year. And, in the next three years, they will build over 3,000 each year. Many of these new homes will help younger people on the property ladder, with affordable options from shared ownership to help-to-buy mortgages.

These are exciting times of growth across the whole housing sector, but there are challenges around culture and perspectives. The ‘Nimbyism’ attitude must change at some point.

I welcome more discussion around how we can all play a part to make sure the next generation has the same opportunities that their parents had before them.

From: Terry Morrell, Willerby.

A NUMBER of recent letters have stressed that second homes have made property unaffordable. Well, I have a two-bed sea front penthouse freehold flat at Bridlington, fully furnished for £130k. I do not think that I am putting anyone out of the market.

A64 limit is a road hazard

From: Geoffrey North, Leeds.

I WAS appalled by my recent experience of the 40mph speed limit that has been imposed on the A64 between the Bramhope flyover on the M1 and the far side of its junction with Tadcaster, a distance of nearly five miles, and this is set to be there for over six months.

While I appreciate that the safety barriers in the central reservation have to be replaced, why cannot this be done in shorter one to two mile sections?

The restriction in speed over such a distance will invariably lead to long tailbacks of traffic at peak times backing up onto the M1 at Bramhope, already a highly congested area.

In addition, many cars leaving the end of the restricted area east of Tadcaster start aggressively accelerating causing potential accident situations, while many cars at peak times will divert through Tadcaster to try to save time and this will further add to the potential traffic hazard as they re-join the A64.

I suspect that the only reason such a length of restriction has been imposed is to save money by the contractors on the installation of the speed cameras.

I wonder if the authorities have had any discussion with the police on the safety aspects of the scheme?

All salaries not ‘earned’

From: Ian Smith, Bradford.

IS there any chance of the media (David Behrens, The Yorkshire Post, February 17) not using the word ‘earn’, or ‘earnings’, when referring to those people who have excessive incomes?

I’m sure that you and your peers earn every penny of your salaries, but it’s not possible to ‘earn’ the largesse that so many others benefit from. I wonder if the givers and the takers actually understand the verb ‘to earn’.