Cut the red tape and get to grips with this crisis

ThE Government and Public health England have failed in the most disastrous way in dealing with this crisis.

There has been too much reliance on preconceived, bureaucratic principles formulated in normal times.

What is needed is a fresh, bold approach in order to get on with the job of sourcing personal protective equipment and coronavirus tests for the NhS.

I urge Public health England to adopt a can- do attitude, not a can’t do one. As Churchill said: ‘Action this day!’ DENNIS S. MORGAN,

Dudley, W. Mids. DON’T blame Public health England for the disastrous shambles over coronavirus. It acts the way it does solely because of the incompetence, ignorance and apathy of its political masters.

Over the years, quangos have had no disciplining oversight from governments of all persuasions. They have become fat and bloated, which has been exposed by the coronavirus outbreak.

P. BENNISON, Whitley Bay, Northumberland.

Let us help

I SUPPORT the call to give up this year’s state pension increase to offset the benefits being paid to those who desperately need help due to the economic effects of Covid-19 (Letters).

As a member of the vulnerable group, it is hard to accept we have little to offer in the way of help.

Mrs V. JOHN, Crosskeys, Gwent. MUCh as I agree with the idea of giving up the pension increase, it has already been swallowed up by supermarket price rises.

DAVID STEVENS, Carlisle. I WOULD be willing to give up my pension increase if my council tax isn’t increased. In fact, I would end up better off. GORDON KENO, Edenbridge, Kent.

We owe a huge debt

ThERE is a particular irony that has occurred because of Covid-19. Those in society who enjoy an average income and above are totally dependent on workers who are on a minimum wage and zerohours contracts.

Delivery drivers, supermarket assistants, care workers, cleaners and, above all, many NhS staff are among the lowest paid, but it is they who are keeping this country running at a high personal risk to themselves.

hopefully when this is over, the level of income earned by these brave people will be greatly increased to reflect just how important their jobs are to the rest of society.

NICK EDWARDS, Clevedon, Somerset.

Home-schooling success

EDUCATIONALIST Anthony Seldon fears what he calls the toxic legacy of home- schooling children (Mail).

This bears no relation to the experience of my wife and I, and five other sets of parents, of hometeaching in the Eighties.

We were confident in what we were doing as we all had a good level of education. Where there was a shortfall in knowledge, we hired a lecturer.

Nearly all of the children gained six O-levels above a grade C, with some getting nine or ten with top grades. They have all turned out well with two gaining honours degrees. One is an author and the other works for the BBC.

PETER BOULTON, Mawnan Smith, Cornwall.

Survival of the fittest?

TAKING the elderly off ventilators in order to treat younger patients ( Mail) is highly controversial and emotional.

But we must remember that medical treatment is primarily to get people better so they can return to school or work, not to prolong life just because we can.

The medical profession is already playing God to some extent by developing medication and advanced treatment. We have to accept you can’t save everyone. ROBERT ELLIOTT,

Stafford. NO VENTILATORS for the elderly and vulnerable? Well done for solving the care crisis in one fell swoop. Bereaved families will certainly remember this at the next general election.

L. CLIFTON, Romford, Essex.

Don’t pick on farmers

AS A grower of seasonal crops, it makes my blood boil to be accused of choosing foreign labour over local pickers (Letters).

Believe me, local people will not lower themselves to pick fruit and vegetables. With unemployment benefits as high as they are, there is no incentive to work.

We used to organise potato harvesting to suit the hours that local mothers could manage. But over the years our pickers ended up being pensioners joined by the very rare student who didn’t mind getting their hands dirty.

In the end we had no choice but to use foreign workers, most of whom were educated people who were prepared to work hard.

Local people wouldn’t get out of bed to do the job, but would be the first to complain if there was no fresh produce in the shops.

JOHN RAVEN, Beccles, Suffolk.

Tight-fisted footballers

I AM incensed by the cheek of some Premier League clubs which are putting their non-playing staff on furlough. They expect the Government to pay 80 per cent of these wages while over- paid players continue to earn hundreds of thousands of pounds a week.

Surely the payments the Government is offering are intended for factory workers and employees in other businesses that have had to suspend operations.

It is welcome that players are in discussions for taking a 30 per cent pay cut or deferral of wages, but wealthy Premier Leagues clubs can well afford to look after all of their employees. M. STEPHENSON, Ilminster, Somerset.

Cut-price councils

MY COUNTY council has closed most of its public services such as libraries, parks and recycling centres. Many other services are severely limited.

Other councils up and down the country are implementing the same restrictions. Can we then look forward to a commensurate reduction in council tax and no above inflation rises next year?

RICK EMERSON, Bagshot, Surrey.

Away with the birds

MY SATURDAY afternoons used to be spent at Lincoln City FC supporting the Imps among all the noise and excitement.

Now that Covid-19 has curtailed sporting fixtures, my wife Jackie and I have taken to sitting outside at kick- off time to listen to the birds making their various calls.

What a contrast, but it has given us another aspect of life to appreciate in these uncertain times.

MIKE MAIN, Lincoln.