YEP letters: August 31

Let’s hear it for the Bowls!

Ernest Lundy, by email

It’s great to see page after page of sports reporting in the YEP. We all love cricket, rugby league and soccer. But another sport, that of Crown green bowling, rarely gets a mention. ALeeds team of young enthusiastic bowlers of Crossgates BC, on Sunday last achieved the greatest success in Yorkshire County team bowling, by winning the Yorkshire cup against worthy opponents, Brighouse BC. With an average of age of less than 30 years this should dispel any doubts as to whether or not it’s a game for older men. Furthermore by adding prestige to the great history of bowling success in Leeds this achievement should be applauded to the skies, as a game for all ages and gender, where sportsmanship, skill, temperament and fitness are the keys to success! In which lasting friendships are made and maintained for years. At a time when we are all being asked to take part in some kind of sport to avoid unfitness and the flab, there is no better way to do it than taking up bowls!

Holbeck has been allowed to get run down

L Goodwill, Holbeck, Leeds

I TOTALLY agree with D S Boyes comments (Safer Leeds is a Secret Plan, Yorkhsire Evening Post August 29) , but the crux of the matter is, and I’ve said it for years, Leeds City Council has run Holbeck down as an area, because they wanted and now intend to expand the “city centre” out that way, all to the detriment of us long-suffering, but tax paying “Holbeckians”.

I just wonder along with others, how long the appalling bus service and the red light area will last once they put “their plans” into action, or will one miraculously improve and the other disappear to some other area, Alwoodley perhaps?.

Mayor question is crucial

DS Boyes, Leeds

THOSE old enough to have lived through Mrs Thatcher’s war of attrition against unions, miners and workers in general will be very wary of the new Conservative PM’s hopes for a better future in Leeds and the wider West Yorkshire area, and might wonder if there is an unexpected general election looming in the not too distant future, i.e. well before the statutory date of 2020.

Or is it the usual case of a new brush wanting to be seen sweeping clean?

However, implicit in plans for greater devolved powers in Yorkshire is the stumbling block of an elected mayor, something that does not sit well with all five West Yorkshire local authorities under Labour control.

The situation here is somewhat different from places like Liverpool or Manchester who have readily accepted that principle.

Their dog in the manger attitude to this, which has undoubtedly already held up some progress and funding, is based on the fear that it might not be a Labour candidate who wins, with a wider electorate participation.

They have already suggested some rules about 66 per cent of them overturning the plans of any elected major based on how the US congress and senate conducts its affairs of state, although unlike us, they do have a proper written constitution which gives clarity.

Everybody knows that in Leeds and other places Labour does not represent the true will of the people but holds sway only by voter apathy e.g. in Leeds 66 per cent did not vote last time, myself included.

That apart though, maybe Ms May’s one nation Tory vision might just do us a bit of good, if only Labour doesn’t spoil it again.

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The right to remain silent!

Aled Jones, Bridlington

The judge Patricia Lynch QC, who chose to reciprocate foul language in court made a wrong decision.

A judge has no right to use ugly expletives in court. By using the ‘f’ word against a vile-mouthed thug she is guilty of direct retaliation and therefore in serious breach of the majesty of the court.

She is, after all, in a most highly privileged position. She should have refrained from meeting negativity with negativity, and instead opted for the dignity in silence approach.

Swearing is becoming normal

R Kimble, Hawksworth

I HAVe just read the letter by A Hague today (Such language is not needed, Yorkshire Evening Post, August 30) about swearing.

The other day there was a letter about swearing on TV. I find this rather rich, to be honest.

I’ve lived in some rough areas of London like Dalston and Caledonian Road but never did I hear even the most rough of Cockneys swear at, or in front of, their children like I hear in and around, Leeds.

Four letter words constantly pepper speech in front of young children who then use it themselves. I witnessed a mother the other day use a four letter word at a child and almost the saddest thing was that he didn’t appear shocked!

Youngsters swear at adults like it’s completely normal and also at staff in shops.

I have myself been asked “what the xxxx are you looking at” when I’ve glanced at a lad walking past.

People in glass houses ?

Grown ups in Downing St

Alan Thompson, Bramhope

At LONG last the grown-ups seem to be in charge in 10 Downing Street.

Nothing matters more to the majority of people than quiet competence.

It’s a safe bet that the words ‘quiet competence’ will never be applied to Mr Corbyn and those around him.

Mr Corbyn is meant to be the leader of a once great party.At its best the Labour Party lifted millions of working-class Britons out of poverty,helped to lead the fight against Nazi Germany but all that is forgotten now.

These days Labour have been reduced to squatting in a train corridor,even though they were seats available further down the carriage.

There is surely a metaphor in there somewhere.

Crude, but I’m still watching!

Edna Levi, Leeds

Like MavisWhitehouse (Too much foul language on TV, Yorkshire Evening Post, August 29) I am no prude and although I have not seen the particular programme she mentions (Fleabag) I fully agree with her regarding the bad language being used in many tv programmes these days. \

One of the crudest is “8 out of 10 Cats” .

I think when members of this panel are chosen, they must promise to use crude words as often as possible and they really do adhere to their contracts, plus one lady (who puts up the board answers and I admit is very attractive!) wears the shortest and tightest wardrobe available.

How do I know all these details? I must admit I watch the programme!

Cyclists would prefer no holes

Martin J Phillips, Leeds

Yet again we have to suffer the diatribe of Coun Richard Lewis telling us what a brilliant project the City Connect cycleway is.

He is even prepared to wager that there are more than just a handful of cyclists using it. I note he is not prepared to make the same wager over the section of the canal towpath that has been re-surfaced, if he did he would lose!

Like previous council projects (Supertram, Trolleybus) the cycleway is all about ‘status’ not about its usefulness.

The £21 million spent on the cycleway could have been used to benefit thousands of cyclists throughout the region if it had been used to fill in potholes etc on the quieter roads that cyclists prefer to use.

Filling in potholes does not carry the same status for a city as a “Cycling Super-highway”.

Better things to do with brass

A Hague, Leeds

I READ of plans to double the size of our city centre (Yorkshire Evening Post, 16 August).

Surely there are more urgent things to use our money on as our belts get tighter like our transport system.

Cutting the number of buses on the roads, which are never even half full, would help the flow and cut the subidies we fork out each year.