YEP Letters: January 31

Selfish callers dialling 999

Hilary Andrews, Leeds

FOR the first time in my long life I have heard the unions agreeing with the Conservative government that ambulance response times should be relaxed.

Is this because they were introduced in 2008 by a Labour government? Even then, the ambulance service would have known that an eight-minute response time for ALL calls was unrealistic.

I note that the unions blame the lack of paramedics and cuts made by the present government, rather than accepting that many 999 calls are made by a selfish public, many of whom regard the ambulance service as a taxi firm and result in added pressure on the service to respond quickly.

Government to blame for council cuts

John Davies, by email

B Leonard claims we are paying more for less and suggests the Leeds City Council is awash with money (YEP Letters, January 27).

Since 2010 the money made available to local government by Westminster has been cut, cut and cut again.

The situation is going to get worse rather than better in the coming years as the council tries to juggle with funding for adult social care as the NHS is starved of funds and the central government cuts to housing benefit will lead to the council spending on discretionary housing payments to avoid the risk of families with children being evicted and being placed in expensive temporary accommodation.

Whilst I will often take issue with the Leeds Council, on this occasion they are not to blame save for the fact that they do not shout from the rooftops to make clear where the finger of blame should be directed – at the Conservative government in parliament.

It is not only Labour councils that are in difficulty providing services.

Only recently the Conservative led Surrey County Council decided it needed to raise the council tax by 15 per cent. Surrey, home of Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Jeremy Hunt with responsibility for the NHS.

Public spending is being dumped on local government as the rich one per cent receive tax cuts and move all their money to Panama or some such other tax haven.

So come on Leeds Council. Lead a campaign for a more equitable division of taxation to properly fund local spending and let us join with you.

Vote for self determination

Ray Rebane, Leeds

With regard to John Cole’s letter (YEP, January 28) I feel I must offer an alternative view.

The referendum result, irrespective of the margins, showed that the British people voted to leave a dysfunctional organisation run by unelected and unaccountable politicians whose sole aim is to create a European superstate by stealth.

The result was a vote for self-determination. I fail to see how the process was flawed or am I missing something?

Cameron, however ill-advised, was the only leader to offer a referendum on Britain’s future. One wonders why Clegg and Miliband did not offer the same. Why would any leader refuse its people a say in the destiny of their country? I do not recall either one being asked why.

In the next few weeks, MPs have a choice to vote on Article 50 whether with their conscience or with the wishes of their constituents. Are these the same MPs whose conscience allows them to abuse their expenses and flip their homes? However, I do believe that there are some who behave with integrity.

A vote to remain would give Brussels a green light to override national sovereignty. The EU has shown itself to be incapable of reform with a complete disregard of the opinions of the people it purports to represent.

I remember the sight of Theresa May being cold-shouldered by leaders at an EU meeting in Brussels in December last year. Such petulance one might expect from a child but these are grown men! Do we really want our destiny determined by a group of self-serving Eurocrats whose vindictiveness towards the UK becomes more and more apparent by the day?

We live in dangerous times

John Appleyard, Liversedge

How times change.

For years the UK made applications to join the European Common Market but each time rejected by the French President de Gaulle who saw Britain as America’s Trojan horse in Europe.

The Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath took Britain into the Common market in 1973 and divided his own party on the issue.

Labour Party Prime minister Harold Wilson did what Heath failed to do and held a referendum and the people voted in favour of Europe by a 2-1 majority, this too divided the Labour Party.

Last years referendum was supposed to sort out the matter but has divided the country and brought down Prime Minister David Cameron and put an end to George Osborne’s ambitions to succeed Cameron.

His successor Theresa May went AWOL during the referendum and now we witness a British Prime Minister sitting at the table with a US president who I consider to be the most racist, homophobic, misogynist advocator of torture in my life time.

Former US President Obama wanted the UK to stay in Europe, Trump is pleased we didn’t, for years America and other countries condemned the Soviet Union for building the Berlin Wall and now Trump is in the process of building a wall on the Mexican border at an estimated cost of £75 billion and the Mexicans say they won’t pay for it, meanwhile Donald Trump is rattling sabres with China with the intentions of having a trade war.

We live in dangerous times and if Theresa May goes ahead with her support for the US President then the former French President de Gaulle has been proved right about Britain’s subservient position to the USA.

Bus service ‘a disgrace’

Y Burdon, Leeds 10

After another frustrating bus journey, I have to say the service is diabolical. On a very cold day, Friday January 27, my friend and I went to Vicar Lane hoping to get either a 12, 13, 13a or 48 all from the same stop.

We waited 25 minutes - nothing. Then along comes a 13. We were glad to be warm and on our way, but no, at the very next stop, the Corn Exchange, we were told to get off and catch the one behind as this bus was now out of service.

I didn’t do my usual complaint over the phone as you get an apology but no explanation as to why Leeds bus services are such a disorganised mess.

I can’t imagine anybody who has a car would even consider travelling on Leeds buses, this has gone on now for months, there are more not in service buses riding around empty than those picking passengers up,an absolute joke for a supposedly big modern city.

The service is a disgrace.

Korean War memorial

Brian Hough, Cheshire

I am acting on behalf of the authorities at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery Busan South Korea, where over 800 British servicemen are buried. The authorities there wish to obtain photographs of those servicemen interred there, and, also of those who died but have no known grave.

Copies of the photographs will be placed in the man’s records , and will also be displayed on the walls of the Cemetery Hall of Remembrance, for all time.

The following names are just some of the young men from the Yorkshire area who gave their lives in the Korean War.

Pte. Baden Pickles. Fus. Kenneth Foster. Pte.Ronald.P.Kelly. Pte.Roy Gibson. Gnr.George Cawood.

Cpl.Douglas Thirkettle. Cpl.Dennis.A.Jackson. Fus.Raymond Sugden. L/Cpl. Gordon.B.Harrison.

Sgt.George.E.Ball. Pte.Thomas Sheldrake. Pte.Dennis Walker. Cpl.Norman.W.Sharpe.

Fus.Fred Kenyon. Gnr.George.W.Naylor. Pte.Ronald Cottingham.

Any family,or friend, who lost a loved one in the Korean War 1950-53. and wish to take part can send the photograph to me, Brian Hough 116 Fields Farm Rd. Hyde SK14 3NP. Cheshire, If more details are required you can phone me on 0161 368 5622 or 07467037742.

You can also email [email protected]