YP Letters: Why do we aid China when it is killing our steel industry?

WE are all very aware of the depressing situation with the steel industry with the ongoing saga with Tata and their intention to sell off their steel works.

In this part of the world we are still coming to terms with the dramatic loss of jobs caused with the SSI closure at Redcar, both direct and indirect.

To then read that the Chinese steel industry was receiving aid monies from the Department for International Development as part of an aid package to the very industry dumping steel made me rage. They paid £21m which could have been used at home.

I am not in favour of the crazy foreign aid strategy that fixes our contribution to a percentage of our GDP, as this is money we do not have and have to borrow, thus increasing our debts, but also the fact that we need to look after our own needs at home before bailing out countries. We raise taxes to provide for our citizens.

This fixing of our aid package is unnecessary and came about due to our elected MPs salving their consciences with our money and trying to gain kudos in the global political arena.

This leads to abuse and corruption, and is unnecessary.

Democracy on EU vote

From: Andrew Lister, Shepley, Huddersfield.

MAY I remind John Cole (The Yorkshire Post, April 11) that we are all equal in the eyes of the law and for him to suggest that a younger person has more sway in a referendum than an older person is abhorrent, unfair, discriminatory and beggars belief.

Mr Cole might as well have said if you are over the age of 59 you should not have a vote. His remarks are what I would have expected from a dictator in a banana republic.

It is quite clear where his allegiances lie and really this is another example of EU democracy in action – if you can’t get the result you want then fiddle the vote.

And for him to further add that it “would be in everybody’s long term interest” to adopt such a policy is absolutely ridiculous.

May I remind Mr Cole, since he is quite clearly a person that believes in the EU that Article 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights makes it unlawful to discriminate on a number of grounds, age being one of them. That is to say if a person is treated less favourably than others in a similar situation on the basis of a particular characterstic, then discrimination occurs.

As a former soldier, having served during the Falklands and other areas of the globe, I find it disgusting that Mr Cole is saying in effect that my right to to vote – and to be heard – is less important than that of a younger person.

From: David Bedwell, Main Street, Styrrup, Doncaster.

I AM disgusted with the use of taxpayers’ money on the Downing Street EU leaflet. It is also unnecessarily expensive because of the use of photographs (in colour). If I had not already decided, this would make me vote “Out”.

From: Barrie Crowther, Walton, Wakefield.

HOW is it that David Cameron’s government and the “In” campaign know more about how Europe is run than the actual MEPs who attend each week?

We all aim to minimise tax

From: Paul Morley, Ribblesdale Estate, Long Preston, Skipton.

AS far as I am aware, these offshore schemes are not illegal, but a way of hanging onto as much of your money as is legally possible. So why are Jeremy Corbyn and his Labour pals giving David Cameron so much stick?

I work part-time and am self-employed so use an accountant to do my tax return every year.

He tells me everything I can claim for to offset my tax and I provide the necessary bills and receipts to support this. He is helping me to hang onto as much of my money as it is legally possible to do so. Can anybody tell me what is the difference in that? Would you employ an accountant who said he would get you to pay as much tax as was possible? I don’t think so.

From: Michael J Robinson, Park Lane, Berry Brow, Huddersfield.

I SHOULD like a rule to be introduced requiring any reporter or interviewer to give full details of their income and tax payments before they are entitled to have a go at David Cameron’s taxes.

From: David Burke, Leyburn.

THE only thing preventing me from calling for David Cameron to resign is the thought of him being replaced by Boris Johnson.

Chorus of disapproval

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

I WOULD like to make it clear that I cannot sing a single harmonious note, but I know what I like to listen to. I love Songs of Praise and the schools choir section.

Sadly the beauty and rhythm of the hymns are often lost in the efforts to display the technical skills of those singing.

I often feel that the meaning of the words are drowned in technicalities in order to impress the judges.