Sorry, Boris’s green agenda is a pipe dream
AT THE General Election, I voted Conservative because I had faith in Boris Johnson to move this country forward. It now seems I voted for the Green Party.
His speech about scrapping gas boilers in favour of heat pumps was unrealistic. Such an approach will bankrupt the country.
I am not a climate change denier, but the timescale is undeliverable. Excellent articles in the Mail have highlighted the fact heat pumps are impractical and costly.
Britain produces only 1 per cent of worldwide CO2 emissions, so surely we are already moving in the right direction. It is time for a more sensible approach to climate policy by the Government. TONY FRESHWATER,
Fowey, Cornwall. A PERSON is described as green if they are inexperienced, naive or out of their depth.
Which applies to Boris and his hare-brained obsession with an uncosted Green agenda that will surely set Britain on a backward economic spiral?
GEORGE HALL, Bolton.
Better solutions?
BORIS JOHNSON, who as usual is full of hyperbole and grand PR gestures, makes commitments and predictions about achieving a Green agenda that are not technically or practically possible.
He believes or hopes that such exaggerated claims for our efforts will persuade the countries that are responsible for the most environmental damage to make substantive changes.
Electric cars, heat pumps and power generation by wind and solar have serious drawbacks and are unlikely to solve the problem.
If all of the 40 million vehicles on Britain’s roads were to switch to electric, there would be a huge increase in demand for power generation and the rare metals needed to manufacture batteries.
The availability of these scarce commodities is limited to a number of countries, some with unstable regimes. A more sensible approach would be to plan to convert transport to hydrogen.
Politicians, civil servants and their scientific advisers should read the article by construction boss Roger Bisby about the impracticality of heat pumps (Mail).
Ground-based heat pumps would turn gardens into a permafrost devoid of all life. In dense housing, air-based heat pumps would reduce the ambient air temperature and cause localised frosts. Switching to hydrogen would remove the need to rip out gas boilers.
The increasing demand for nonfossil fuel electrical generation can’t be satisfied by wind farms and solar panels. The only solution is to greatly increase the number of nuclear power stations. JAMES WEEDON, Haltwhistle, northumberland.
Time to take action
THE Government was aware there would be a substantial increase in Covid cases going into the winter, yet wearing masks and social distancing rules were relaxed.
When more people need to go to hospital with Covid, other medical conditions will be untreated.
The Government wants everyone to be vaccinated yet there are no restrictions, deterrents or sanctions for the unvaccinated.
For goodness sake, pull some of the basic, logical controlling levers before another lockdown is needed.
JOHN PARTRIDGE, Bedford. WHY is the Government dithering when Covid cases are increasing?
We’ve already had a House of Commons report saying mistakes were made when there was a delay introducing the first national lockdown. It seems the Government hasn’t learnt the lessons.
I can speak with experience about what Covid can do to a person as I am one of the lucky ones who survived. I spent 80 days in hospital, including 36 days in a coma in intensive care.
ROGER JUBB, Cambridge.
Die with dignity
HOW moving to read how the former Cabinet minister Michael Forsyth changed his mind in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill after witnessing his father’s painful death (Mail).
I wonder how many of those who are opposed have seen a loved one dying in pain and with little dignity?
At 92, incontinent, bed-bound and in pain, my mother had enough and just wanted her life to end. It was unbearable to witness her suffering and not be able to help her. It fills me with horror to think of my life ending that way.
name supplied, Greenhithe, Kent.
Football’s golden era
WATCHING 1970s repeats of football matches on Grandstand is sheer delight.
Muddy pitches, goalkeepers without frying pan-sized gloves, players identified by their position number, only one substitute and no theatrical dying swan antics.
Most of all it’s a pleasure to see teams striving to score goals instead of practising their backward passing techniques.
With dozens of shots on target, keepers earned their money. What a revelation of why modern football has lost its appeal.
K. MILLER, Plymstock, devon.
Hanging on for a GP
PHONING my GP surgery at 8am, I was informed I was 39th in the queue. Is this a record?
I turned the phone to loudspeaker and had breakfast and a shave before I was put through. I was then granted a phone appointment seven days later.
I was calling because I’d received an NHS letter recommending I make an appointment with my GP as soon as possible.
TOM PALIN, Southport, Merseyside. THE other morning, my little girl was suffering with a urinary problem. I phoned the surgery at 9.30am and was given an appointment at 10.20am. What a good job my little girl is a Swiss Shepherd dog and not a human.
M. LANCASTER, Chandlers Ford, Hants.
Ballroom blitz
STRICTLY Come Dancing is losing couples faster than a parking attendant appears when your ticket is up.
May I suggest some new faces to boost the ratings.
Harry and Meghan dancing to Keep The Family Close by Drake; Boris and Carrie performing to Lend Me Your Comb by The Beatles; and Jeremy Clarkson and his partner tripping the light fantastic to Daddy Won’t Sell The Farm by Montgomery Gentry.
BILL WILLIAMS, Swindon, wilts.