YOURVIEWS ‘Incompetent’ Tories should move aside
PROTECT OUR FISHING SEAS
I AM AN ordinary person living in midCheshire and have spent much of my life living in the North West of England.
It’s lovely and green here, lots of trees, grass and rivers all around, thanks to plenty of rain from the North Sea watering the Cheshire and Shropshire Plain.
However, I have been wanting to draw your readers’ attention to the fact that it is not like this all over the world, and not even all over the UK.
I have travelled extensively, overland, around much of South America where I saw vast stretches of land burned and scorched for the ever-demanding meat production trade.
Not good for those who lived in or relied on the forests for shelter, food, oxygen and their spiritual well-being. nor is it good for us here in the UK as the vital balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide is being tilted against our own healthy living requirements and which bodes very badly for the future of our children’s and grandchildren’s lives on this planet we call Earth.
Today, I would like to draw your attention to the terrible plight of over-fishing, particularly in protected seas. We are currently facing the collapse of the UK fishing industry due to past over-fishing and not protecting our precious sea waters from others coming and taking too many fish.
This is leading to less fish spawning and so potentially not enough fish available to feed the people of the British Isles, which, as it is a locally-produced food source, should be a key sustainable food for us here.
Please can you encourage your readers to write to their MP to ask for their support to protect our fishing seas for the future.
BORIS Johnson ‘Got Brexit Done’, although people in Northern Ireland who like eating sausages would not agree.
But otherwise, he has been missing in action.
Boris missed the first few Cobra meetings at the outbreak of Covid, and the result is that more than 130,000 people have died from the virus.
On climate change, Boris and his Chancellor do not agree what should be done, so nothing is being done.
And now the Taliban have taken over Afghanistan, and the UK Government is like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Incredibly, the foreign secretary was on holiday and did not bother to return. So much for Global Britain ruling the world.
Interpreters and others who helped the British Army during its 20 years in Afghanistan have long been known to be in mortal danger from the Taliban.
Last year the Government created a scheme to resettle these interpreters in the UK.
So far 3,300 out of many thousands have been resettled, but the scheme has proceeded at a snail’s pace as the Government have been trying to resettle as few people as possible and have been putting one obstacle after another in the way.
Even Conservative MPs have been complaining about the delays. The brother of one interpreter has just been murdered by the Taliban, an interpreter for the US Army was beheaded, another had his hand chopped off.
The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has left the UK Government humiliated and has effectively left these people to their fate.
Running the country involves more than lying to the electorate and putting £350million a week extra for the NHS on the side of a bus. The Conservative party in Government are clearly incompetent.
If they cannot cope with the challenges life puts in their way, they should move aside.
Phil Tate via email
PROTECT PROTEST RIGHTS
YOUR readers might not be aware of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts
Bill currently making its way through parliament.
If they are it might seem an insignificant piece of legislation unlikely to affect their life.
If it passes however it will have a profound effect on their right to demonstrate peacefully.
This in my view is a fundamental part of a modern democracy.
The police in the form of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) have raised grave concerns both regarding their power to enforce it and for its effect on a healthy democracy.
The next time a group of residents, or even a single resident, wants to protest against a housing development or a council decision, the police could just say ‘No.’
I would encourage any readers who are worried at the prospect of this right to protest being curtailed to write to their MP and request they oppose this repressive legislation. They could alternatively support organisations like Unlock Democracy which are campaigning against the Bill by visiting https://unlockdemocracy.org.uk/.
Dr Peter Hirst
via email
TIME TO QUESTION BORIS
DAWN Butler was asked to leave the Houses of Parliament for using ‘unparliamentary language’ after calling Boris Johnson a liar.
Three Conservative MPs were to be suspended for only one day after being found to have tried to influence a judge in a high-profile criminal trial. It seems that calling Johnson a liar is worthy of the same suspension as trying to improperly influence a sexual assault court case.
It is surely obvious that Parliamentary laws are in need of updates as they are protecting the government rather than the public.
Parliament is failing when Johnson is allowed to get away with lying time and time again – and with not answering the questions asked (in my opinion, evading telling the truth is a form of lying).
I think it is time someone consults Hansard and presents Johnson, in Parliament, with the facts he’s lied about, the questions he’s failed to answer and asks him to explain himself.
To not do so is a dereliction of duty and just gives Johnson and his government the green light to continue to hoodwink the public.
Sue Quinlan
via email
REFUGEE WORRY ‘FALSE’
URGENT steps are being taken to try to extend the deadline for the evacuation of people from Afghanistan.
The deadlines were set by American Presidents Trump and Biden without consulting Boris Johnson. Interpreters, guards and others who have helped British forces continue to be fearful for their lives.
Following a reduction in the strength of the British Army in 2014, the Tory Government set up an ‘Intimidation’ scheme for Afghan civilians who had been working with the British. In a report by the House of Commons Defence committee in 2018, it said not a single person had been resettled to the UK. The committee said the
Government had gone to great lengths to stop relocations.
Another scheme was set up, for interpreters, but only 3,300 out of many thousands have been resettled. Most of the Afghans who have been arriving in the UK have been in boats, across the channel. The Government have been doing everything they can to stop them.
The hand-wringing from the Government about the deadline is false, and should not disguise its attempts over many years to stop Afghanistans coming to this country.
Phil Tate