Tag: letters

Letters: Lonely this Christmas

Dear Editor

Many people with the chronic, neurological condition M.E. tell us they feel very lonely and isolated at this time of year, particularly those who live alone with no family or friends to share the festivities with. A visit, phone call or simply a thoughtful card from a friend could make a positive difference – so if you know someone with M.E., let them know you are thinking of them this festive season.
If you have M.E. and you need information and support, call us on 0117 927 9551 (we’re here until 4pm on 22 December, and re-open on 3 January), or join one of our friendly online forums, open 24/7. You can also read advice from Rose, who has M.E., in her article on coping with Christmas alone at www.actionforme.org.uk/alone-at-xmas
Sonya Chowdhury
Chief Executive
Action for M.E.
42 Temple Street,
Keynsham BS31 1EH

Letters: Tears

Dear Editor

My tears are for all children, women and man who are suffering extreme poverty and starvation

My tears are for all animals, birds and wildlife

My tears are because of all the cruelty and the destruction of trees and natural habitat

But my tears are not tears of despair, they are tears of knowing how different things could be.

We have allowed a relatively few powerful financial organisations to control and exploit – with unbelievable callousness – people, animals and the natural environment for their private profit: these same people having created the biggest financial mess ever seen worldwide and are now passing it on to everyone.

This ‘system’ must be changed. Wealth created by the work of people must be used for the benefits of all people: we would then be able to deal with all these terrible problems.

A.Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letters: Cuts, cuts and more cuts

Dear Editor

The continuing cuts in public services of all kinds are taking a dreadful toll on communities throughout the UK, undoing decades of struggle to put them in place.

The continuing fall in the value of wages, particularly now with higher prices every week, should convince the majority of the working population that private ownership of major industries are incapable of any other action.

There have been slumps in varying degrees of severity, the cost of which being passed on to the population; there can be no justification for such callousness in the pursuit of profit-making by privileged financial investors.

All of this show the urgent need for public ownership of at least the essential services: energy distributors, passenger transport (rail, bus and tram), water supply and sewerage – all of these industries should be working for the benefit of ALL, not a few investors.

We have to move on from the failed system of private ownership: there is no logical reason or sense in not doing so.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letters: Unity is strength

Dear Editor

Capitalism, the system under which we live, constantly tries to retain control over the population. The ways of doing this are many, as a reading of history will show: a catalogue of land thieving, forced clearances, draconian laws and the prosecution of those who resisted. A policy of ‘divide and rule’ always was, and still is, the main tactic.

A recent example, the financial collapse of 2008, is blamed on the Labour Party, dividing organised political resistance against the savage cuts in public services and wages. It is now admitted that the financial crisis was worldwide caused by the banking industry.

From 2010 divide and rule was stepped up,with people not in work accused of being skivers and scroungers. It was then extended to disabled people and those who for many reasons were unable to work, having to claim benefits on which to live. They were then subjected to an assessment on their fitness to work by a private company – despite their having medical certification.

The housing shortage is partly blamed on people occupying a house or flat deemed to have spare rooms, and now this is followed by stories of elderly people being financially better off at the expense of younger generations.

All these example, and many more, are designed to set one against another, making unity more difficult.

To counter this we must show that there are many issues common to everyone, to get people thinking and acting again in a positive manner and making these issues work for the benefit of all.

We all need energy supplies, water and utilities, and a good reliable public transport system. It is not right that these essential services are mainly privately-owned, instead of being run for the benefit of all.

Unity, not division, will change things. There is so much on which to unite, making progress to a better life for all.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

Letters: For the many, not the few

Dear Editor

The working population has always been under pressure struggling to defend and improve their lives and the lives of those dependent on them. The pressure comes from the system of private ownership of industries that operates to maximise profits for individuals and organisations of investors.

The Labour movement, in all it’s forms, has battled against this with notable success, raising the quality of lives and expectations. These expectations should be reflected by the actions of our parliamentarians, but many are supporters of the existing system of private control and ownership and will not support major changes.

Labour Party policy must be to identify essential issues around which maximum unity of public pressure can be built, for example:

  • To exist, everyone needs electricity, gas and water supplies yet these essential industries are mostly privately owned.
  • To get from home and back to work, rail, bus and tram services are essential; they are also needed for shopping and leisure activities and should be operated for the benefit of all, not to make a profit for investors.

People do expect to pay a fair price for these services but extracting millions and millions of pounds from these industries is totally wrong, particularly when so many people are struggling to pay for the essentials of life.

The campaign to build maximum unity on these and other issues to progress the changes necessary must be a priority for the Labour movement, for no one else will.

It can be done.

A.Delahoy,

Silverknowes Gardens

Letters: Don’t let greed destroy our precious public services

Dear Editor

Every day all over the UK people get prepared to go to work; it is a necessity to earn an income to sustain themselves and those who depend on them. Whether they work as part of a team or as an individual, production or management, they all work. The only exception to this, in the main, are people or organisations who have money to invest to make more money out of those who do work.

People need many essential services to carry on with their lives. At home: electricity, gas, water and sewerage. To get to their place of work they need passenger transport : bus, tram, rail, etc. – yet most of these services are privately owned, a veritable goldmine for those who are able to invest.

All of the services mentioned above relate to just work, but work is not all in life: they have a direct effect on our ability to have social and leisure time, visiting family and friends, taking part in sport, shopping or enjoying the countryside:, in fact, living.

All of these services must be operated for the benefit of all.

How can it be right that the extraction of millions and millions of pounds from those services are taken by investors? It is greedy and immoral and cannot be justified in any way.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

 

Letters: drivers should take a hard look at themselves

Dear Editor

Drivers who are moaning and groaning about a restriction on ‘them’ having to observe a speed limit should take a hard look at themselves and their reasons for objecting.

Driving in a city can be one of potential risk to pedestrians and drivers alike – except that drivers have a two ton object in their hands travelling at speed.

There are very few times whilst driving in the city when one is able to travel more than a few hundred yards before having to stop, yet some drivers feel it is their personal right to travel those few hundred yards as fast as they wish, causing hazardous conditions for all, just to save a few seconds of their precious time.

That is why I say: those drivers should take a hard look at themselves and their attitude to others.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letters: Remember, remember

Dear Editor,

After years of relentless hostility to the Labour Party and in particular to Jeremy Corbyn, under rules for the election campaign equal coverage had to be given. Up to that point the Tories thought they had successfully destroyed both and the election would be a walkover.

When the Labour Party policies were able to be presented clearly to the people with
their intention to end the continuing disastrous Tory cuts in social services and
the value of wages the people listened and liked it. They also understood the only way to do this was to vote, and they did in their hundreds and hundreds of
thousands .just a whisker away from defeating the Tories and all they stand for
all they have done to us, and intend to do.

The anti Labour/ Jeremy Corbyn has already started again, hoping people will again
fall for it: we just have to remember what the Tories have done to us over 7 years.

A. Delahoy,
Silverknowes Gardens, Edinburgh

Letters: Enough is enough

Dear Editor

Do not be taken in by the Tories who say, hand on heart, ‘we will put wokers interests first’ if elected.

We know to our cost over the last seven years just how much they care by freezing our wages, imposing drastic cuts in funding for essential services and making scapegoats of unemployed and disabled people.

On June the 8th everyone has the opportunity to vote them out for all they have done and intend to do to us. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Tony Delahoy (by email)