We ALL pay a high price for green energy
MICHAEL HOWARD points out that, since 1990, Britain has cut its greenhouse gas footprint by more than two-fifths (Mail).
What he doesn’t say is that this has been paid for by electricity consumers, who have subsidised the otherwise unaffordable electricity from renewable sources. Wind farms are paid for not producing electricity when it’s not windy enough or if it is too windy.
Even if you can accept this inefficiency, it is questionable what difference the reduction in the footprint has made.
MIKE GILLSON, Kirkbymoorside, N. Yorks. THE reference by Michael Howard to China’s ‘huge plans for renewable energy’ implies this will lead to a reduction in emissions.
China’s power generation is based on fossil fuels (90 per cent), in particular coal (65 per cent). Solar, wind, hydro and nuclear account for 10 per cent.
China plans to double coal production — it already consumes as much coal as the rest of the world combined. This is the major reason why global emissions have doubled since 1970 and are on course to double again by 2040.
With Britain responsible for only 2 per cent of global emissions, our policy of being the only country with a legally binding emissions reduction target is irrational.
It is as if we are emptying an overflowing bath with a ladle while China fills it with a bucket.
Professor DaVID CaMPBELL, Lancaster University Law School.
Stamp duty burden
PROPERTY sales are falling (Mail) because of stamp duty. I know of a dozen families who wanted to move to larger properties, but found it more cost-effective to stay put and pay architect fees and a contractor to build an extension or convert an attic.
KaTHY aDaMS, Bristol. I LIVE next door to a property due to be converted from offices into four one-bedroom flats. Two of the bedrooms will overlook my patio and I will be able to shake hands with the occupants of the bottom flat through our windows.
So much for the local authority’s pledges to protect privacy when granting planning permission.
FRaNK STONE, Bath, Somerset.
Police bravery
HOW disparaging to refer to jobsworth PCs (Letters). At last week’s terrorist attack in London, police ran towards the threat with no thought for their own safety.
Traffic duty is about preventing accidents and educating people. If you think driving at 36 mph in a 30 mph zone is acceptable, remember that a child hit at that speed would be unlikely to survive.
aNN LaW, Peterborough, Cambs. I CO-ORDINATE a community speedwatch and know light traffic encourages speeders because there is less to impede them.
The reader who was critical of speeding laws should be grateful their local police are proactive. The officers would be from the road policing division, not first responders to 999 calls.
I wonder whether the reader been caught speeding. In my experience, this is often when a lack of logic kicks in. TIMOTHY BURNHaM,
Ticehurst, E. Sussex.
Timid terror laws
THAT UK security services are carrying out 700 live terrorism investigations (Mail) reveals the sad state of our justice system.
We need laws that allow us to kick out anyone who even breathes threats against this country, before they have a chance to commit atrocities. M. CaTTERaLL, accrington, Lancs.
Ticket rip-off
MY PARTNER and I went to the Edinburgh Tattoo after booking our tickets through the resale agency Viagogo.
The tickets cost £110 each, plus a booking fee of £62.50, handling fee of £5.95 and VAT of £12.50, making a total of £300.95.
At the event, we found out the ticket face value was £33 including VAT, plus a £5 booking fee. We had been charged £150.47 for a £38 ticket.
To rub salt in the wound, Viagogo emailed to ask us for any photos we’d taken, so they could use them for publicity.
R. FLETCHER, Rochdale. FANTASTIC news for fans that Ticketmaster is closing rip- off sites and providing a fan-to-fan ticket exchange.
However, it still needs to stop robotic purchases by touts, who buy all the early tickets, and start a policy of cancelling tickets on other resale sites.
Name and address supplied.
Boycott Europe
I PROPOSED a 30-day boycott of EU goods (Letters), so I’m glad Wetherspoons is replacing all EU products with British and non-EU coffee, beers and wine. The pub chain’s chairman, Tim Martin, is calling for supermarkets to follow suit. The first to introduce EU-free shelves will have my custom.
S. MaRSHaLL, Keighley, W. Yorks.
Who’s a sweary boy?
I HAD to chortle at the story about the parrot on the roof who gave the fireman trying to rescue it a mouthful (Mail). It reminded me of a tale I was told about my great-grandmother Constance Baker, who made dresses for actresses and opera singers.
She was great friends with Dame Nellie Melba and they’d take tea together. When Constance’s parrot squawked ‘B****r the Kaiser!’, she apologised. But Dame Nellie laughed and said: ‘He’s a very good judge of character.’
TIM WaRNER, London W11.