ASW pensioners have been abandoned again

Any response is quickly rejected with their getout-of-jail card, and blame diverted to the UK Government

Windsor Davies

PENSIONERS, including those who worked at Allied Steel and Wire, thank the Chancellor for not reneging on the Conservative manifesto promise to keep the state pension in line with inflation a second time.

However, he talked about British values (compassion, hard work, dignity and fairness) and wanted to honour those who built the country in which we live, so why then did he once gain deny former ASW pensioners, who did all those things that he mentioned, the pensions they were promised and paid for in full? Once again, the Conservatives have abandoned former ASW pensioners in this Autumn Statement.

They had the chance to end this inhumane pension injustice and blew it again. John Benson Dinas Powys

Playing the blame game in Senedd

THERE appears to be an increasing lack of competence and accountability from Welsh Government ministers when questioned by what opposition remains in the Senedd. We have another incident of frustration from an MS when questioning the relevant minister in a plenary session. The whole scenario is becoming totally irrelevant, especially when the Llywydd is reluctant or unable to effectively control proceedings with a meaningful level of political neutrality.

Any response to a question is quickly rejected with their get-outof-jail card, and blame diverted to the UK Government.

This self-satisfying approach will only prevail for so long with increasing discontent in proceedings escalating.

Should their ambition of a UK Labour Government prevail they will have played all their cards – then what?

Windsor Davies Blandford, Dorset

Mel stood out as one of our ‘58 stars

MANY thanks for your very timely and fascinating feature “Welsh Football Greats” (Echo, November 14 and 15).

I greatly enjoyed the first instalment revealing Nos. 11 to 25.

There were some interesting surprises and my only disappointment was the exclusion of Mel Charles.

Do read the accounts of the 1958 matches in Sweden: the praise heaped on the Swansea player certainly caught the attention of both Arsenal and Manchester United, who set out to sign him.

There was no difficulty in guessing the 10 names that would come in section two. In a way, the greatest 10 pick themselves.

There would have been no shame in Gareth Bale and John Charles sharing the top spot, though for me Big John’s record at Juventus made him a truly European great.

Thereafter I would ask for one more reshuffle.

Again, the reports of the 1958 matches suggest that Ivor Allchurch belongs at No. 3 in the all-time list – a judgement with which I suspect

all the other players you include would fully agree.

Professor Peter Stead Mumbles, Swansea

Immigration fiasco

IT amazes me that in 1939 we stopped the most powerful nation in the world from invading our shores, and yet we cannot stop unarmed immigrants from getting ashore and fleecing our benefit system. To all the do-gooders, take note and get real about this fiasco. Peter Bowden

Splott, Cardiff

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