YP Letters: De we need extra layer of government?

From: A J A Smith, Cowling, Keighley.
The Archbishop of York backed One Yorkshire at an event to mark Yorkshire Day.The Archbishop of York backed One Yorkshire at an event to mark Yorkshire Day.
The Archbishop of York backed One Yorkshire at an event to mark Yorkshire Day.

I REMAIN sceptical of the logic of creating an autonomous Yorkshire region (The Yorkshire Post, August 1). No sooner are we to rid ourselves of an expensive and anti-democratic layer of government stuffed full of autocrats, technocrats and bureaucrats in Brussels than up pops a group wanting to create another layer of government.

They may be failing to take into account that Brexit will restore the people’s direct link to the seat of power in all areas of government responsibility that was lost through surrendering sovereignty to the EU. Our MPs, in other words, will be empowered to more effectively work for Yorkshire’s interests than they have been for decades.

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MPs will no longer be presented in Westminster with directives, regulations and orders from Brussels of which they have neither proposed, been unable to challenge, amend or reject. And no longer will Britain be sending huge sums of monies to Brussels, receiving a proportion back and being told how it is to be spent.

Brexit will empower Yorkshire’s MPs to work for the interests of Yorkshire and its people and those MPs that fail will, no doubt, be rejected at the ballot box. Less government means better government.

From: Denis Angood, Britannia Close, Leeds.

A NEWS item (The Yorkshire Post, August 1) says that plans are to be put before Parliament to link the two stations in Windsor by a privately financed tunnel.

This would allow through running of trains between the two stations and beyond. The distance between the two stations is similar to that between the two Bradford stations and looking at the two areas served by the rail network the advantages of a similar plan for Bradford would far outweigh those of Windsor.

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One wonders if they can put plans like this to Parliament in the South, why are we in the North lagging behind again. What is it that we in the North are lacking in regard to plans to improve our transport links? Do we lack the unity, both political and commerce, that is needed to progress plans that can be put before Parliament with an argument that will succeed in obtaining the necessary funding?

Dangerous game of MPs

From: George McManus, National Policy Forum CLP Rep, Yorkshire and the Humber, Whins Lane, Long Riston.

RIGHT-WING Labour MPs are playing a dangerous game, even willing to fan the flames of religious hatred in order to achieve their political ends.

Nobody denies that anti-semitism exists across British society including in religious groups and political parties.

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But Jeremy Corbyn is the only party leader who has consistently criticised Israel for its savage actions against Palestinians. For this reason, right wing Labour MPs are working with their friends in the pro-Israel establishment to spin spurious attacks which undermine his leadership. Sadly, there are Labour MPs who would

rather see a Tory government than a Corbyn government and they will stop at nothing even being willing to use religion, to achieve their ends.

From: H Santiuste, Edenthorpe, Doncaster

AS the row over anti-Semitism rumbles on, shouldn’t Labour’s former leaders Neil Kinnock, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband try to help Jeremy Corbyn to solve the problem?

Losing our speech skills

From: Kate Dale, Helperby.

ONCE again, Jayne Dowle hits the nail on the head (The Yorkshire Post, August 2). Yet another MP making grand statements, this time about what ‘we’ should do about improving speech, language and communication skills in our children.

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Having stripped away so many valuable support mechanisms, such as Sure Start Centres, which bring people with young families together and by putting schools under such pressure, charities are often expected to ‘take up the slack’. Many do fantastic work but they are struggling to cope with extra demand and the default position ‘from above’ now seems to be that every ill can be solved by ‘looking online’ or ‘there’s an App for it’.

Are we all being turned into robots ourselves? Losing our ability to think for ourselves? Shortening our attention span and our attention to detail? If so, perhaps it doesn’t matter about speech, language or communication any more? Something to consider over your summer holiday Mr Hinds!

Anti-fracking motivation

From: David Downs, Sandal, Wakefield.

I READ with interest the two opposing arguments on fracking (The Yorkshire Post, August 1) – Lorraine Allanson (for) and Hazel Winter (against).

I would congratulate LA on her excellently constructed letter. As for HW, I would suggest that most of the conflict surrounding this subject comes from outside professional agitators, not locals, who appear to live off the back of social security and from middle class retired people, with good pensions, who will never have to experience fuel poverty.

No excuse for river sewage

From: David Rimington, Fairways Drive, Harrogate.

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THERE is really no excuse for crude sewage being discharged to the river Wharfe at Ilkley. Screens for the removal of solids from storm sewage have been about for decades.

Yorkshire Water employs engineers and scientists with years of experience in delivering sewage treatment schemes on budget and on time. Screens could be installed in weeks.