Why are we having a mayor at all now?
HAVING received ballot cards referring to the election of Mayor for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, it made me think back to the referendum in 2012.
The people of Manchester voted by 53.2% to 46.8% against having a Mayor, so why has the wishes of the people been overridden?
It begs the question the of the validity of referendums. Will the Brexit and the Scottish independence vote suffer the same fate?
It seems in these days of cutbacks that we are adding another costly layer of government as we did with the post of the police commissioner and we have seen what a waste of money that was.
In these days of austerity we should be thinking of reducing the number of politicians rather than increasing more levels of bureaucracy.
Keith Bennett
Shocking on crime figures
YOUR report on crimes not being investigated by GMP is truly shocking.
We have the worst of all worlds - a quarter increase in crimes reported and a quarter decrease in the number of police officers since 2010.
What is equally shocking is the manufactured concern of the Liberal Democrats who were part of a coalition government that forced these cuts through.
People in Manchester will be angry about the police revelations.
They won’t forget that Cameron and Clegg are the real villains of this situation.
Coun Pat Karney,
Manchester Town Hall
Cyclists – give us a bell!
AS I was waiting at the bus stop on the estate where I live, two bicycles suddenly rode past.
I thought, as I have many times, since I’ve lived on the particular estate, if I had suddenly noticed the bus coming along and stepped forward I could have been knocked down.
I wonder if bicycle bells are now a thing of the past.
The only time I rode a bicycle was, as a child in the 1950s but I had a bell on the bike and always rang it if I was approaching someone from behind to let them know there was a bicycle about to pass.
Also, as I have had four close shaves with mobility scooters as well as bikes on pavements, I think they also should have a bell to warn people they are about to pass.
M McManus,
Middleton
Labour needs to wake up
WITH Labour facing a by-election in Gorton on May 4, I wonder if another crushing defeat will finally convince Jeremy Corbyn that he and his EU-led, PC-ridden vision for the UK isn’t wanted by anyone except himself, a few of his hardcore supporters and a few foreign criminals and extremists looking for a safe haven.
If JC doesn’t wake up and smell the coffee soon Labour are doomed!
D A Clarke,
Hulme
Don’t worry about ‘love’
I PERSONALLY do not know Mr Vince Miller (M.E.N, March 29), but have been entertained by him in the past and found him a very funny character.
Therefore, I was saddened to read in the M.E.N. that he felt he had to resign from his position at Manchester United where he has been the host for nearly 30 years, because a waitress took offence at Mr Miller putting his arm round her and calling her “love”.
Quite recently, I read that an employer was reported for calling his female staff “girls”.
Whenever anyone calls me “girl” I ask them to say it a bit louder, as I find it very flattering at my age.
What is wrong with these women who take offence at such trivial matters, when there are much more important things happening in this world.
Mr Micky Martin is quite right in saying to call someone “love” is Mancunian warmth, if every time someone put their arm round a female in all innocence and called them love and this resulted in being sacked there would be a lot of job vacancies.
Ann Bannister
Whiskers not a good look
WHY is it that these days, that so many people are growing beards?
Surely they don’t think they look smart.
On the contrary, they look scruffy and make them look years older than what they are.
The only person I’ve seen that really suits a beard is Father Christmas.
E Murphy,
Higher Openshaw