YP Letters: EU diktat added to problems of railways fragmentation

WHILE I agree with David Moore about Conservative ideology on privatisation (The Yorkshire Post, January 13), in this case it does not alter the fact that the fragmentation which has greatly added to the railways’ problems was due to the EU diktat that was issued to John MacGregor who meekly did as he was told.

You cannot run a successful railway while such fragmentation exists. Nor does it change the fact that these foreign nationalised companies are charging their British customers far more than customers in their own countries for a far worse service.

From: John Hall, Baildon.

I STRONGLY suspect Irish Nationalists of already positioning themselves to protest against direct rule from Westminster, (due to another matter), and the likely erection of physical and other barriers with Eire and the EU. Many in Scotland have already expressed aims to press for independence when the terms of Brexit prove unacceptable.

Add to this Brexiteers’ insistence that we can export our way to success with the the rest of the world, (having sold water, gas, electricty, buses and trains and who knows what else, we have little else to sell). The fact is, we’ll have to sell over ten per cent more just to stand still due to the fall in Sterling.

From: Gordon F. Partington, Ashgate Avenue, Chesterfield.

IN my opinion, David Cameron and his Cabinet were a complete failure on the immigration issue. Will Theresa May listen or let us continue to slide inexorably into a civil war situation?

Even if we manage to negotiate with the EU over border controls they could easily renege on the policy agreement in the future. I prefer to have ‘my country back’ from our political masters. If needs be, we can all suffer a bit and manage on less in the future.

From: Michael A Richardson, Norman Close, Pickering.

I HAVE to take issue with P Asquith-Cowen (The Yorkshire Post, January 9) regarding taxation and public finances. Whilst there are many good points in the letter he and others do not appear to understand the difference between avoidance and evasion when it comes to personal taxation. Whilst I would clamp down on evasion strongly, avoidance is perfectly legal, approved by the Inland Revenue, and in its simplest form of ISAs is used by millions of people quite correctly. There are many complex schemes which I agree are doubtful but until withdrawn by the Revenue can legally be used.