YP Letters: Why Parliament must do the right thing over Brexit

From: Jackie Cooper, Huddersfield.
A People's Vote rally in London.A People's Vote rally in London.
A People's Vote rally in London.

THE 700,000 of us who marched in London recently, representing millions more, have finally put paid to the idea that ‘Brexit’ was ever the ‘will of the people.’

Despite Theresa May’s best efforts, it is now obvious that the UK is better off within the enlightened peace project of the EU working together with other liberal democracies on the dozens of issues which affect us all. We need to regain the strong and influential voice we had in Europe and the world before the expensive folly of the referendum.

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We now know that none of us knew enough about what we were voting for and, despite the lies and overspending of the Leave campaign, only 37 per cent of the electorate voted to leave – the majority did not.

In June 2016, our sovereign Parliament thoughtlessly threw away its authority – leading to divisions across the country, a rise in hate crime, rhetoric and intolerance and media disrespect for the politicians, the judiciary and the other who want to uphold the law.

It is crucial that Parliament now regains its sovereignty, and does the right thing by the majority of the people by cancelling Article 50. If it lacks the courage to do so, then another referendum is inevitable.

From: Gordon Lawrence, Sheffield.

I CANNOT go along with John Wainwright’s point (The Yorkshire Post, November 26) regarding an insider government plot to produce a flawed agreement to justify Remain.

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In effect, he has evoked a conspiracy from the ruins of the PM’s Brexit deal. I say ruins, because so much of the optimism that the Prime Minister portrays in the deal rests on the future good nature of the EU.

I believe that her strategy of being nice, and the £39bn offer to lubricate a quick agreement, was a terrible blunder. But I do believe that there were no ulterior motives in her intentions. I feel that she and her cohorts were genuinely trying for a good deal, but a lack of true conviction was always going to be a barrier in breaking through the intransigence of the EU.

Give priority to our health

From: Prof Dame Parveen Kumar, BMA board of science chair.

IT is very concerning that we are still seeing rising levels of obesity, given the serious cost to our health that this brings. Rather than seeing improvement, there is in fact, an overall increase in levels of obesity, particularly among women, with children of obese parents three times more likely to be obese themselves.

Almost two-thirds of adults and nearly a third of children in England are either overweight or, worse, obese. The Government must, without delay, place far greater restriction on junk food marketing and introduce a simple standardised approach to food labelling. In addition, the Government needs to underpin efforts by local authorities to increase active travel, make the best use of green spaces, and halt the growth of fast food outlets.

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The data also shows that strong action is needed on smoking and alcohol, as highlighted in our recent report which showed the significant contribution smoking and drinking make to preventable ill-health and a higher prevalence of cancer, liver disease, heart disease and strokes.

The BMA has long been calling for the Government to make the population’s health a priority by investing in services to reduce smoking, alcohol consumption and those which promote physical activity and a better diet.

This is hugely important and will ultimately save people’s lives by cutting the number of those dying early from preventable ill-health.

Madness over jailed rapist

From: C Lambert, Croft House Mount, Morley.

WHAT I have long feared has finally come to pass. The inmates of the asylum have finally taken over the running of our country.

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I refer to, of course, to the news that rapists who are serving time for the rape of schoolgirls are to be given a say in the raising of any children resulting from that attack.

There is no justice in this country anymore. Murder has become commonplace now that there is no death penalty.

TV blunders on a gender

From: Dai Woosnam, Woodrow Park, Scartho, Grimsby.

ARE they scraping the bottom of the barrel these days for editors in TV news? I have heard BBC, ITV and Sky newsreaders all say “the first female winner of the Ballon d’Or”.

No, no, no, you duffers! You are implying Ada Hegerberg has beaten male counterparts like Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. You should instead be saying “the first winner of a female Ballon d’Or”.

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Only when it becomes the single trophy competed for by both sexes can you say “first female”.

I don’t believe poverty claim

From: Bob Watson, Baildon.

THE Joseph Rowntree Foundation tries to tell us (The Yorkshire Post, December 4) that a third of children in a typical classroom are now living in “poverty”.

Quite frankly, does anyone really believe that the situation is so bleak? It can be argued that some people have problems, but certainly not to the extent that the Foundation would have us believe.

Perhaps it should read the excellent letter in the same paper from Cecil Crinnion pointing out the difference between poverty and hardship, and rightly stating that the blame so often lies with parents.