Tag: letters

Letters: Unfit for office

Dear Editor

The increasing number of statements made recently by Defence Minister Gavin Williamson (above) during tours both at home and abroad are extremely disturbing.

In one statement he calls for the establishment of more military bases around the world, in another he calls for increased support to back Ukranian forces in their dispute with Russia.

His latest statement – calling for an aircraft carrier to be sent to the Yellow Sea –  shows, in my opinion, he is quite unsuited to be in any position of government.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letters: Taking Back Control

Dear Editor

When the banks collapsed through financial mismanagement and corruption in 2008 the people of the UK had to pay for this massive example of this failure of capitalism.

Wages were frozen, prices soared, thousands of jobs were lost, and both local and national services were decimated.

All this continued from 2008 to 2016 non-stop – and it is still going on today. People had had enough and were demanding that the banks should be under public control and stricter controls over the financial institutions should be introduced.

Danger signals from the banks and financial sector were very quickly raised: the demands of the people of the UK for control over these sectors must somehow be headed off.

It took a few years for the media to convince the people to blame others for the troubles, but they succeeded in splitting the nation practically down the middle, a classic example of the ‘divide and rule’ tactic.

The consequences of the phoney arguments in support of the EU referendum are yet to be felt.

Taking back control was advanced as an objective of the referendum, but in whose hands would control be? People had decided that in 2008 and will do so again.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens 

Letters: reach out to people with M.E. this Christmas

Dear Editor,

For most people, Christmas is about celebrating with friends and family; however, many people with the chronic, debilitating illness M.E. tell us they feel very lonely and isolated at this time of year – particularly the one in four who are so severely ill that they are bed- or house-bound. If you know someone with M.E., consider reaching out to them this Christmas – a simple card, phone call or visit can make a real difference.

If you have M.E. and you need information and support, call us on 0117 927 9551 (we’re here until 4pm on Friday 21 December, and re-open 10am Monday 7 January) – or visit www.actionforme.org.uk/you-are-not-alone. Our M.E. Friends

Online forum is open throughout the festive period; to register, visit www.actionforme.org.uk/MEfriendsonline

Sonya Chowdhury

Chief Executive, Action for M.E.

42 Temple Street, Keynsham BS31 1EH

Tel: 0117 937 6620

 

Letter: Bin lorry crash anniversary

Sir,

Next month is the fourth anniversary of the Glasgow bin lorry tragedy. Six people died and 17 were injured when a city council bin lorry cut a swathe through Christmas shoppers after the driver, Harry Clarke, fainted at the wheel. This was not the first time Clarke had fainted at the wheel, nor was it the first time pedestrians had been killed in similar circumstances.

Clarke was able to continue driving because he denied having had any previous fainting episode and there is no system in place to ensure a driver only receives a HGV licence if the DVLA has seen the applicant’s medical records.

This loophole means the tragedy could happen again, anywhere in the UK, at any time.

In the fatal accident inquiry which followed these six tragic deaths, Sheriff Beckett recommended that the Secretary of State for Transport should consult on the issue. At the moment, the UK Government and DVLA appear content to rely on increased guidance and awareness. This does not legislate for those who wilfully drive HGVs when they know they should not. And it will provide no comfort to the families of those who died four years ago.

Ronald E Conway

Scotland co-ordinator, Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)

3 Alder Court, Rennie Hogg Road

Nottingham NG2 1RX

Letter: World Pancreatic Cancer Day

Dear Editor,

Around 784 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year in the UK and tragically one in four people won’t survive for a month. Three in four won’t survive for a year making pancreatic cancer the quickest killing cancer.

Despite being the cancer with the worst outcomes, many people are unaware of the disease and the devastating impact it can have. As World Pancreatic Cancer Day approaches (15thNovember) I urge your readers to find out more about the disease and spread the world about its symptoms.

An increased awareness of the symptoms, which include tummy and back pain, indigestion, itchy skin or yellow skin or eyes, unexplained weight loss and oily floating poo, could lead to more people being diagnosed at an earlier stage. The earlier people are diagnosed, the earlier they can be treated it may increase their chances of being eligible for life-saving surgery.

Your readers can find more information about World Pancreatic Cancer Day at www.worldpancreaticcancerday.org or seek support from myself or one of my colleagues on the Pancreatic Cancer UK Support Line (Freecall: 0808 801 0707).

Thank you,

Dianne Dobson

Pancreatic Cancer UK Specialist Nurse

Letters: The madness of nuclear weapons

Dear Editor

When the Americans dropped atomic bombs on Japan in 1945, wiping out cities and thousands and thousands of people in an instant, mankind had reached the possibility of self destruction worldwide.

So far the peoples of the world have managed to restrain the madmen who still advocate the use of nuclear weapons.

These madmen, – for that is what they are – appear quite often on television supporting their use, but going further in advocating their first use.

How and why are they given the opportunity to promote such terrible actions? They really are totally mad.

Just think about it: what are they calling for? Are they really saying it will be in our and others best interests to decimate each other in the most horrible way?

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Time to call a halt to fat cat excesses

Dear Editor

On 15th August, Channel 4 television reported on the salaries of company chiefs. It was staggering to hear how many millions of pounds are paid every year.

In one example, an individual was paid well over £4 million. It would take an average worker 195 years to match it. This was just one case of hundreds occurring regularly.

This money or wealth was created by the labour of workers and their families. This system is being justified as being right: it cannot be so.

Two people on the programme said they supported the payments and that they should continue.

The fairness, the justification, the morality of this system of wealth distribution must be changed. The sooner the better.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letters: Murky side of Fringe is no laughing matter

Dear Editor

As we enter September and local residents begin to feel comfortable venturing back into Edinburgh’s city centre, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on some of the lesser publicised issues of the many festivals hosted during August by the Scottish capital.
Whilst many celebrated the wealth of incredible domestic and international talents on show at The Fringe and the Edinburgh International Festival, record ticket sales for a sixth successive year, and an unprecedented number of visitors, the exploitative practices of many employers and local landlords were once again hidden in plain sight.
As noted during the Scottish Socialist Party’s fantastic Wheel of Misfortune event (Saturday 25th August 2018), staff at several festival venues earned mere pennies per hour, whilst year-round tenants faced being turfed out of their homes in favour of more lucrative profits to be made thanks to the largely unregulated official festival partner AirBnB.
Whilst there is much to enjoy for those able to afford tickets to witness the musical, comedic, and literary talents brought to our city, should it be permitted to take priority over local communities?
Thanks to pivotal work from not only the Scottish Socialist Party, but also the Fair Fringe, and Living Rent Campaign, worker exploitation, intimidating workplace practices – such as replacing paid posts with ‘volunteers’ (thus avoiding worker rights) – and the disgraceful treatment of many year-round tenants are rapidly coming to light.
Luke Campbell (by email)