No denying the reality of climate change
VIEWPOINTS
D. BAGNALL (Socialists hijacking the climate debate, M.E.N. letters, February 23) seems to be suggesting that at some period in the halcyon days of the premiership of the blessed Margaret, environmental concerns were some how a right wing issue.
As one who remembers the 1980s and 90s well, I can assure all your readers that this is a total fantasy. The Conservative government of that time was busy pumping the dash for gas and the rapid expansion of the nuclear industry, and the right wing press was eager to paint anyone who demurred from this policy as left wing nutters who would surely ruin the country if allowed to promote the fairy tale of renewable green energy, such was their attachment to freedom of debate.
How different from today when solar energy is widely seen as a commercial opportunity and nuclear as a hopeless money pit, by responsible investors.
No doubt D. Bagnall regards Al Gore’s film, An Inconvenient Truth, as a convenient lie; but climate change is an undeniable reality which will increasingly affect the people of this world, and a failure to face up to these facts is totally irresponsible.
A renewed dash for gas will not solve any problems, not even economic ones. As fossil fuel usage falls, so will its profitability and any revenues that the government hoped to gain.
The judge showed much wisdom in calling for wider debate on the issues; it’s just such a pity that some people appear to interpret that as closing down the free spread of ideas and the voices of those who will be most affected. Richard Chanin, Glossop
No idea of real hardship
AS far as I am aware, the Greater Manchester public were opposed to having a regional Mayor.
Sadly, whether we liked it or not we were saddled with one, Andy Burnham.
Now whilst he might have a considerable number of supporters I am not one of them. In my opinion he has no insight into the financial struggles some working families are facing to making ends meet.
Once again we are having to cope with the increase in council tax in addition to his self imposed transport tax. Is there any organisation out there who can fight our corner and rein this man in? G. Smith, Milnrow
Running out of time
SO Theresa May has moved the goal posts again and now the ‘meaningful vote’ on her Brexit deal is pencilled in for March 12.
The old song, ‘Twelfth of Never’ wanders into my mind but let’s hope I’m just being pessimistic and her belief that leaving just 17 days later is actually “within our grasp”.
Strangely her words don’t fill me with confidence. How many of us have sometimes thought winning the lottery is within our grasp? And of course it doesn’t come to fruition.
We are fast running out of time and MPs will find themselves between a rock and a hard place – i.e. a bad deal, or no deal at all.
The mandate from the public was clear and our PM has repeatedly vowed to enact the will of the majority of voters but has consistently failed to do so.
Only history will tell whether she has played a very clever long game or whether she has made a complete dog’s dinner out of the negotiations. Either way the outcome will shape all our futures and the clock is ticking. Paul Nuttall, North West MEP (Brexit Party)
Awards are a turn-off
PERSONALLY I find the awards season boring and, as entertainment, a complete turn off.
However some of the awards are very questionable. If it wasn’t bad enough that Ant and Dec won Best Entertainers at the National TV Awards, for Beyonce and Jay Z to be given Best International Group at The Brits is laughable.
The Carters (when did they concoct that name) are, at best, a duo not a group. What an insult to real groups around the world!
Then we come to the Oscars. There seems to be a campaign in the last few months to ensure Olivia Coleman wins Best Actress at the Golden Globes, Baftas and The Oscars. I’ve enjoyed her in Broadchurch and a few other TV series but she is always Olivia Coleman in a different outfit. In her own words, she isn’t a mimic.
When A Star Is Born was released, many people thought the film and performances were hyped up. Everyone who saw the film was stunned by the performance of Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga), and said that it surpassed the hype.
For someone who previously had only acted in one season of TV series American Horror Story, she was amazing. The other nominees make a living as actors and Germanotta does not so deserved to win for that reason alone. Jack Haynes, Swinton