YEP Letters: March 22

Oh, the games people play...

R Kimble, Hawksworth

iain Duncan Smith and his resignation is interesting.
Shown shaking his fists with pleasure at a previous Budget when Draconian cuts to benefits were announced, he suddenly changes his mind and says all of society should shoulder the burden. Tax cuts to the rich should be stopped and they should pay their way, not be rewarded by poshboy Osborne. Then, in the light of outrage at the £30 a week disability cut, lots of Tory MPs are ‘outed’ on social media as people who have claimed massive amounts in expenses. One put in a claim for a car journey to a memorial and for the flowers he put there. Embarrassing if you have a conscience (unlikely). Suddenly IDS becomes a humanitarian ? Tax the rich and protect the poor. Oh, the games people play eh?

How many times should we just settle for jam?

Coun Peter Gruen, Chairman of Adult Social Care, Leeds City Council

What are we to make of IDS’ dramatic late night resignation? Did his cup runneth over?

Was it the last straw to be yet again humiliated by Chancellor Osborne? Or has the man who introduced the bedroom tax really had a ‘Damascus road’ moment? Or is it Brexit? Or that the nasty party has returned?

Whatever it is we mere plebs in the North now know: that the Tory party has judged the ill, poor, disabled and vulnerable to be expendable because they don’t vote for them and that instead more budget bribes need to go to the wealthy because they do - thank you IDS for confirming this.

One thing intrigues me; why is it that anyone still believes a word uttered by Osborne about the so-called ‘Northern Power House’ when we see in front of our eyes that more money is taken away from northern councils, less money is invested in northern infrastructure; and government departments and museums are even relocated away from the north back to London? Not to mention the belated and underwhelming response to our flooding problems!

How many times are we prepared to settle for jam tomorrow before we realise it’s all just a great big Con trick!

We should know what to expect

Jack Banner, Meanwood

It is applaudable that Iain Duncan Smith has resigned in protest at the plans of the Conservative Party to rob the disabled to pay for tax cuts that will benefit the upper classes that keep them in power.

However , I would have preferred that he expressed his concerns earlier when they would have had maximum effect and perhaps made Mr Cameron reconsider. All in it together Dave ?Don’t make me laugh , most people are indeed in it, up to their necks in some cases! Post Thatcher I suppose we should all know exactly what to expect from the Tories

If easy targets are available why should we expect any other actions from the toffs ! Please do not misinterpret my comments as an endorsement of Corbyn and his associated clowns. I trust none of them !

We will regret demolition

John Roberts, Wakefield

FOR some years Clayton Hospital in Wakefield has remained in a very sorry state. After some local pressure, the building was secured and the vandalism halted.

Wakefield Grammar School Foundation have made an offer to buy the site.

Part of the hospital includes a potentially very attractive Victorian building.

The school proposal seemed the ideal salvation.

However, we now learn that WGSF have proposed two options, one involving complete demolition and the other to retain the most historic part of the old hospital.

Reading public statements and the on-line consultation, it is clear that the school prefers the first option. The consultation consists of heavily biased statements in favour of the first option. For example there is no real cause why option two is desirable, as it carefully omits reference to a historic building.

The second option presents in imaginative solutions worthy of a school like this. The historic part of Clayton Hospital is only an “eyesore” because of neglect.

Also, the public have less than two weeks to put forward their views.

It would seem that the school have used emotionally-charged expressions and managerial buzzwords to sway public opinion.

Demolition of the entire site will be something we will live to regret.

Goodness knows, Wakefield (and many other towns) have lost enough fine buildings already over the years.

This is a win/win scenario

June Warner, Kirk Deighton

There are many Europhiles claiming that we shall not necessarily be able to negotiate a trade deal after Brexit. This is demonstrably false. Articles 8 and 50 of The Lisbon Treaty should both be read most carefully before they perpetuate this untruth any further.

In any case, tariffs would certainly be to our advantage. Our trade deficit being in excess of £100 billion annually with the EU - our tariffs pitched at the same level as theirs would make the UK an exceedingly healthy profit. I think that this is called a ‘win/win scenario’.

Have you heard of ‘minning on’?

Peter Manning, British Columbia

My family emigratedto Canada from Chickenley in Dewsbury in 1957 when I was 10 years old. I am 70 next birthday.

I have lived in Canada for nearly 60 years. In 1971 when I was 21 I came back to Dewsbury for a holiday and lived for a few months with my grandmother.

By sheer good luck while there I met a pretty 19-year-old Pontefract girl. One thing led to another. She came back to Canada with me and we got married. Forty five years this year. Three kids. Six grandkids.

Throughout our happy marriage we have seldom argued. But on one thing we have always vehemently disagreed. When I was a little boy if I was hungry between meals my grandmother would ask me if I wanted a “minning on”, that is a snack prior to the next meal. My wife says that she has never heard of such an expression and that I must have made it up in nostalgic Yorkshire reverie. It would be very much appreciated and would settle a long standing disagreement between my wife and me.

Have you or any of your contemporaries ever heard of a “minning on” ?

What has the EU done for me?

Ernest Lundy, by email

Lying abed the other morning trying to gather my wits before greeting the new day, something we need to do in old age, my bedside radio broadcast a discussion on the advantages or disadvantages of staying in or leaving the European Union.

However not being anything other than an ordinary ‘Joe in the street’ with little knowledge of things political and economic, could someone please explain to me how being a part of this cash eating, dictatorial monstrosity, has benefited me to date?

One thing I do suspect, however, is that statements indicating we would lose trading facilities with other countries if we do leave, is just a fairy tale, circulated by those with vested interests.

Just take your litter home!

S Shippy, Meanwood

I cannot unerstand why people blame the council for dirty streets. If everyone took their litter home with them or put it in a bin, there would be no need for others to clean up after them and it would save millions on our council tax!

We could all behave responsibly if parents taught their children when young. Schools do their best, but by then bad habits have begun. We are all responsible for our own environment

Loss of a great broadcaster

Stephen Carver, on Facebook

RE: Martin Kelner’s departure from Radio Leeds. I think he was a great broadcaster, quick, witty, sarcastic at times, very knowledgeable about seemingly everyone and everything! This is coming from a 39-year-old! Hang your heads in shame Radio Leeds.