Hard-up families pay a high price for the £1 homes
TV CRITIC Christopher Stevens makes a valid criticism of Channel 4 series The £1 Houses: Britain’s Cheapest Street. I believe the makers missed the real story.
I am appalled at the behaviour of Liverpool City Council. With the best of intentions, it came up with an innovative solution to the housing problem, but in promising the holy grail of a home, passed on all the risk to the families.
They needed £40,000 to fund the work and had to agree to restore the derelict houses within a year.
Given that these properties have been empty for up to 15 years, the deadline would be challenging for developers, let alone families with only DIY experience.
If a family fails, they stand to forfeit the house, and their investment, without compensation.
The council said these developments would be a new start for the area, with families moving in together to create a community. Instead, bureaucracy has stalled the process, leaving residents in empty streets, falling prey to thieves and vandals.
This scheme has turned into a fiasco that is likely to torpedo what would have been a mouldbreaking initiative to regenerate rundown areas and house families desperate for a home.
A. r. CATer, Grays, essex.
Gunning for votes
PReSIDeNT Trump suggests a solution to mass killings in schools and colleges is to arm teachers with handguns.
There would be no contest between a handgun and a semiautomatic military weapon. Has anyone suggested it would be more effective to arm pupils with sawn-off shotguns? Think of the sales potential to the gun lobby. JOHN FINLAY, Mayfield, e sussex.
Target the sharks
THe Government should stop GKN, the largest British- owned engineering firm, from being taken over by asset-stripping sharks.
The practice has been going on since Margaret Thatcher’s days and does not benefit the country: it just fills the pockets of those who care nothing about Britain.
The stock market is the worst thing ever devised. Family businesses created far more wealth that benefited all, not just those who make money from money.
JOHN eVANs, Wokingham, Berks.
Learn from history
THe claim that 4 per cent of millennials think the Great Fire of London took place in World War I doesn’t worry me. That’s only a handful of people.
There’s only so much schools can squeeze into lessons. Not everyone watches documentaries or will see the latest Winston Churchill film. Still, it surprises me that 42 per cent of millennials surveyed think Churchill led Britain in the wrong world war.
I’m in my 20s and can’t imagine anyone of my age not knowing that Churchill was Britain’s leader during World War II as he is one of the most famous Brits of all time. eMILIe LAMPLOuGH,
Trowbridge, Wilts. SO TeeNAGeRS believe Churchill — or was it Thatcher? — led us through World War I when we were at war with France? And Labour believes they are politically astute enough to be given the vote at 16.
D. TurNer, Witham, essex.
Watching the watchdog
HOW will Charles Randell be competent to spot tax- dodgers when he heads the Financial Conduct Authority if he was not able to spot that the tax avoidance scheme he used was dodgy?
If he was the best candidate for the job, did the others turn up for the interview carrying a jemmy and swag bag? M. CATTerALL, Accrington, Lancs. THe appointment of Charles Randell may not be a bad thing. Haven’t you heard of the saying poacher turned gamekeeper?
ALAN TINKLer, Gosport, Hants.
Not so happy pills
I BeLIeVe the article ‘ Millions more of us should be taking antidepressants’ was one-sided.
There are already 65 million prescriptions a year in the UK, double the rate of ten years ago. One in 13 men and one in seven women are receiving these drugs.
It is not difficult artificially and temporarily to lift mood biochemically. However, chemicals cannot address the social causes of human distress.
The idea that antidepressants are treating a chemical imbalance that somehow causes depression has been debunked as a drug industry myth. The research paper in question acknowledges that several of its authors are employed by this industry.
There is a long list of serious adverse effects caused by these drugs. My 2014 study, the largest direct to consumer survey to date, found that more than half reported emotional numbing, sexual difficulties and withdrawal effects.
Suicidal feelings as a result of taking these drugs was reported by 39 per cent and a reduction in positive feelings by 42 per cent.
Dr JOHN reAD, Professor of Clinical Psychology,
university of east London.
Cost of justice
THe Supreme Court ruling that black cab rapist John Worboys’ victims can sue the police for their failure to properly investigate their allegations means Rotherham sex abuse victims can, too.
Good for them, but does anyone think any officer will pay for these failures? The long- suffering taxpayer will stump up again.
Heads, not deputy heads, need to roll before lessons are learned and real changes made. NOrrIe McGeACHIe,
Corby, Northants.
Princess picky
HOW ridiculous that actress Penelope Cruz changes the happyever-after endings of the fairy tales she tells her children because they are too macho (Mail).
In most fairy tales, the hero has to risk his life to get the girl by slaying a dragon or a giant, or fighting an evil wizard or witch.
Then the princess will only marry him if he can solve three riddles; if he fails, he will have his head chopped off. So much for romance and true love.
I would also like to change some of these fairy tales. When the king says: ‘Get rid of the dragon and you will marry the princess and get half of my kingdom,’ the prince could answer: ‘No thanks, she’s not worth risking my life for.
‘I want to be a pop star so I’ll have more money than you and can get all the girls I want.’
I doubt Kate and Meghan said: ‘I don’t want to be a princess, I want to be an astronaut.’
u. GING, Lowestoft, suffolk.