Policies fuel hatred and widen inequality

I share Matthew Pover’s disgust at the deliberately divisive ‘culture war’ being promoted by Boris Johnson’s government (letters, 15 July), which seems to reflect the fact that ministers have nothing positive to offer ordinary people.

Instead, the government happily pursues a continuation of widening inequality, poverty wages and boardroom greed, crumbling public services, continued selling-off of British companies to Tory donors or overseas firms, unaffordable or poor quality housing, lack of police on our streets, systematic tax evasion by the rich and big business, and the predictable betrayal of British farmers, fisherfolk and manufacturers over Brexit.

How do the Conservatives avoid public outrage and heavy electoral defeats when presiding over such cruelty, incompetence and injustice? Simple; they divert people’s attention by promoting divideand-rule and fuelling hate, of which the ‘culture war’ is the latest variant. Hence different sections of British society are encouraged to resent each other, and blame each other for the problems ultimately caused by the government’s rightwing dogma and policies:

Middle class vs the working class;

Workers vs the unemployed (“Strivers v Skivers” to quote George Osborne); British-born vs foreigners; White people against ethnic minorities;

The old against the young; Private sector workers vs public sector workers;

Brexiters vs Remainers. Moreover, while claiming to champion free speech, ministers and their supporters in the media and on the internet, attack and vilify anyone who challenges or disagrees with them, aggressively accusing critics of ‘virtue-signalling,’ lack of patriotism, being ‘Marxists or (the latest intended insult) ‘Woke.’ Supposedly independent institutions like the BBC, Channel 4, Civil Service, judiciary and universities are bullied into compliance with the government.

In all of this, the government is encouraged and egged on by the majority of national daily newspapers - mostly owned by non-domiciled billionaires - which seem to act as a mouthpiece or echo-chamber for it - just as Pravda did in the old Soviet Union.

Pete Dorey

Bath

How ironical that I read on Somerset Live online that this Liberal Democrat administration is to introduce higher charges for old polluting cars, over new less polluting vehicles.

When it was suggested at the last local election that the Liberal Democrats would include Class D vehicles in the CAZ (in order words the same vehicles that will be charged in the new directive), they hurriedly came out with a leaflet to say that was not going to be the case they were looking for votes!

It has taken only two years for them to go back almost to what they had proposed in the first place, that is yet another “U-turn” by this administration under Councillor Guy, which will be detrimental to those who are likely to be on lower incomes.

This is further indication that the way that the CAZ has been introduced has been a complete shambles.

It was positive to see Councillor Furse come out publicly and oppose these proposals along with other Liberal Democrat councillors who clearly do not want to be in the public eye.

Then we have the former leader of the council, Councillor Romero, openly criticising officers for not installing pollution monitors on subsidiary roads outside the CAZ when she was leader.

Southdown Road, Rush Hill, Bradford Road and Lansdown Road are just some of the roads which have been impacted because of the poor implementation of the CAZ. The council have apparently not provided active monitors on these roads, so measurements could be taken on an hourly/daily basis.

They are clearly building up their excuses if and when the nitrogen dioxide levels rise, which will have a significant impact on the health of residents, particularly those with young children.

Having been actively involved with the initial issues of the CAZ, I have been contacted by many people as to why there have been so many significant issues - it is the lack of signage, lack of information on grants for the commercial sector and now they are running to catch up on what should have been in place from the start.

It seems not only to me, but many other residents, that Councillor Sarah Warren, the cabinet member in charge, has not got to grips with what is perhaps the most important part of any cabinet member’s portfolio. The increased pollution on The Paragon and London Road is there for all to see.

I suspect the excuses of the closure of Cleveland Bridge will be at the forefront of why those levels have risen. One has to ask the question why were the repairs not done during lockdown?

The project is already months behind and the new Highways cabinet member, Councillor Rigby, has clearly been given a “hot potato”.

Let us hope that she can do something about these significant issues.

More pollution will occur in many areas if the LTN (low traffic neighbourhoods) are introduced.

Councillors Samuel and Davis can pretend closing off Camden Road will not affect pollution levels in Snow Hill but I am afraid that is inevitable and residents clearly know that.

It is time for pollution levels to be tackled to reduce the deterioration of the health of residents in the key area. Where are the subsidies for buses for park and ride, which they should have negotiated with Defra?

I am afraid that they have let the residents of the city down - yet again.

Bob Goodman Combe Down