YP Letters: Theresa May's devious Brexit plan will lead only to crisis

From: Nick Martinek, Briarlyn Road, Huddersfield.

PRIME Minister Theresa May set up the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) in July 2016 to oversee the task of leaving. It is now apparent that her EU unit at No. 10, headed up by civil servant Olly Robbins, has sidelined DExEU by secretly producing a parallel White Paper. The policy announced at Chequers was the Robbins White paper. The DExEU White paper was trashed.

The Robbins White Paper is a “revolving door” Remain – it envisages the UK leaving existing EU treaties on March 29, 2019, only to sign up to new treaties, and re-enter existing EU programmes, the day after. Would we concede this much to the US just to get a trade deal? Obviously not. Significantly, unless Mr Robbins has engineered a coup d’etat, the instruction for his White Paper (the second) must have come from Mrs May.

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That means she has deliberately created two Governments: one for show to keep her backbenchers at bay and hoodwink the Leave voters, and another to impose her capitulation. Mrs May has been breathtakingly devious. This is unravelling into a crisis in her premiership, the Tory party, the Government machine and even in our whole democratic system.

From: MK O’Sullivan, Allerton Bywater, Castleford.

DONALD Trump’s priority is a second term. Demonstrations in this country and in Europe will not cause him much concern – non-Americans have no vote (The Yorkshire Post, July 14). This fact is, it seems, so often overlooked by those waving ‘Trump out’ banners. President Trump in 2016, while campaigning, promised voters “America First”. Listening to so many of the Trump critics here, I am reminded of the sneering casual dismissal of Trump backers by Hillary Clinton.

If Donald Trump gets a second term, imagine the fury and rage of the left here.

From: Arthur Quarmby, Mill Moor Road, Meltham.

THIS Brexit is our one and only chance to quit the European empire. Let us seize the moment (because there will be no other) and escape to liberty – with or preferably without an agreement. If we fail, the escape hatch will be closed and we shall condemn our children and grandchildren who will have to fight their way out. Are we afraid of independence?

Don’t kill off school sport

From: Brian H Sheridan, Lodge Moor, Sheffield.

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HOW refreshing to see recent pieces from Tom Richmond (The Yorkshire Post, July 13) and Jayne Dowle (July 16) showing sport, and especially the much-maligned sport of Association Football, in a favourable light.

The letters pages in the past have featured the girl who hated school sport and the boy who was always the last to be picked in football games who sneers at grown men “kicking a bag of wind about”.

Well, they are getting their wish, school sport is now almost extinct outside the private sector.

My grandsons’ school teams play barely half a dozen matches in a whole season. Fortunately for them, like Jayne’s son, they have parents who can just about afford to register them with a junior football club. Sadly, apart from the few who are club academy players, boys from poorer homes have nowhere to play.

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Jayne’s son, who, she has reported, struggled academically, has gained confidence from playing football. My grandsons’ lives have also been immeasurably enriched by the experience.

The girl who hated sport opined that school sport for girls should not be compulsory. For the record, my wife couldn’t get enough of hockey and athletics. Men and women who were not good at sport often excel in other areas and should rejoice in that, instead of wanting to deprive others of what might define them. I dreaded maths but I would never suggest it ought to be optional.

Dog mess ruins resort

From: Robin Ashley, Sheffield Road, South Anston, Sheffield.

LAST Friday, we decided to take my grandchiidren, who are over here from Canada, to Filey – scene of so many of my own happy summer holidays.

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We were all totally dismayed 
at the number of dogs in the town and, more particularly, 
on the beach, and whose owners were oblivious to the fact that their pets were defecating everywhere.

We watched in amazement as a large black dog defecated only feet from a family with young tots on the beach, the owners clearly aware but choosing to ignore it. Similarly we watched as a gentleman let his dog mess on the grass adjacent to the children’s play equipment on the cliff top.

In spite of Scarborough Council posting endless notices to the effect that dog owners will be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000, we saw no evidence of any policing of this or, any attempts by owners to clear up their dog’s mess.

It is clear that the borough council would have a very lucrative income stream if owners were fined for what is a disgusting situation.

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Dog owners should be relentlessly pursued for their actions as it offends most reasonably minded people and presents a significant health hazard.

We will not be going back to Filey again for that reason.