Living in a country that’s run by idiots

THE other day I parked behind a vehicle which displayed a sticker reading: “I am leaving the UK as this country is run by idiots”.

Your issue of November 22nd gave some justification for these sentiments...

■ A Romanian was convicted of controlling prostitution for gain. Sentence was adjourned to consider whether he be recommended for deportation back to Romania where his four children reside. Why is deportation not automatic?

■ Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks must find savings of £1.3 million over three years. Visitor centres may be closed, with redundancies. Exmoor national park’s grant is already £1 million less than it was in 2010. Both parks are essential for residents and tourists. Why is it that a wealthy country such as this cannot find the tiny sums to sustain our parks?

■ An NHS GP, a Just Stop Oil activist, was convicted of causing criminal damage by damaging 16 petrol pumps at Thurrock Motorway Services with a hammer. The cost of repair was £9,376, with loss of profits £1,146, a total of £10,522.

However, no compensation order was made against the GP. Why not? He was also found to be in deliberate breach of a High Court injunction for which he received a suspended prison sentence. He will no doubt be disciplined by the General Medical Council in due course.

■ There are now 257,331 long-term empty homes in the UK, namely empty for more than six months. In all fairness, some of these properties will be awaiting probate, before sale, following the death of the owner. Nevertheless, there must be a substantial number which ought to be requisitioned by the government in order to house the 100,000 families which are trapped in temporary accommodation at a cost to the taxpayer of £1.5 billion per annum. The solution to our homeless crisis is obvious. So why not seize it?

Chris Cope Kings Nympton, Devon