YEP Letters January 7

Check out today's YEP letters

Airline is another feather in city’s hat

Mike Hill, by email

I SHALL admit I’m an ol’ dullard, but the article by Joe Cawthorn (January 3) about the Leeds-based airline Jet2 was quite enjoyable to read.

As an American I have always loved Leeds from my first visit there, but the first time I flew into Leeds Bradford Airport I thought: “You’ve got to be kidding!”

It was an effort to find a live person working there.

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It’s taken years, but I’ve seen the airport grow: the Concorde visits, and more recently visits by KLM and others. But now, with a locally-based airline, the city has yet another feather in its hat.

As far as I’m concerned, Leeds never did get the respect it deserved within the UK.

Government stance on rail strikes ‘a disgrace’

Philip Crowther, Bingley

How our current Transport Secretary Chris Grayling continues in his job to me is a mystery.

His department’s continuing stance on rail strikes is a national disgrace. To allow this long running dispute to affect people’s lives and the economy in such a significant way, but have Grayling state: “I don’t run the railways, it is a dispute between private operators and the unions”, is nothing other than dereliction of duty.

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An effective Secretary would spend day and night in talks, bang heads together and get the matter resolved.

In addition, the appalling state of services he dismisses with promises of jam tomorrow.

His latest trick is to try to deflect the continuing poor service and increased fares by insinuating the wage demands of workers are to blame. He ignores that the private company operators make profit off the back of the poor service and send it back to the likes of Germany where Deutsche-Bahn use that money to help run a modern system at a cheap cost to consumers in comparison to the UK.

In addition he admitted that prior to the May timetable debacle, he failed to ask the right questions of Network Rail, to make sure the changes were feasible.

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Announcements to cancel major electrification schemes were withheld until after the May 2017 General Election for obvious reasons.

As for Mark Burns-Williamson, the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, he seems to believe that knocking on the locked door of Government to ask for more money and knowing the answer is acceptable.

His latest wheeze is to say extra funding from the only source is the Government’s permission to increase the police precept which he will put out to consultation.

What consultation? It is a foregone conclusion that rates will increase the maximum as they did last 
year.

Many ways to unite against dementia

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Judith King, Head of Region, Alzheimer’s Society, Yorkshire and the Humber

Alzheimer’s Society will mark its 40th anniversary this year, celebrating our story so far and our ongoing commitment to stopping dementia in its tracks.

I’d like to thank everyone who united against dementia last year by fundraising, campaigning and volunteering, helping us challenge perceptions, fund research and improve and provide care and support.

There are many highlights from 2018 including fantastic flagship Memory Walks in Hull, Leeds and York and Alzheimer’s Society uniting with the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and ‘wrapping‘ two fire engines in our new logo alongside all their staff becoming Dementia Friends.

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Last year Alzheimer’s Society announced that a staggering two and a half million people in the UK have become a Dementia Friend.

This initiative asks people to take one small action to help people with dementia feel supported and able to live well in their communities.

With more than 67,000 people living with dementia in Yorkshire and the Humber, the need to unite in the fight against the condition has never been more pressing.

There are so many ways readers can get involved in 2019 and what better time to take on a new challenge.

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From becoming a volunteer – either for our Side by Side service or at this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon where we are Charity of the Year – to fundraising, campaigning to Fix Dementia Care or signing up to join dementia research.

Whether you give an hour, a day or more, please visit alzheimers.org.uk/getinvolved to find out how you can unite against dementia.

‘The euro will collapse’

Nick Yates, Brighouse

THE euro will collapse. It is based on an economic concept that cannot work.

A nation cannot function without controlling its currency by devaluing, revaluing or responding to market forces. The longer this matter is ignored, the more catastrophic the collapse will be.

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The Greek economy has failed completely and Italy is now at crisis point. Italy has little choice but to dump the euro and return to the lira.

Keeping comedy duo’s legacy alive

Peter Keighley, by email

The biopic of Laurel and Hardy’s visit to the UK for their last tour is due for release.

I can’t wait for this film, the trailers look brilliant.

Steve Coogan (as Stan Laurel) and John C Reilly (as Oliver Hardy) look the parts and I truly hope that audiences will get an understanding of Laurel and Hardy’s love and respect for each other. As much as I love Dad’s Army, which the BBC seems to continue to show on BBC2 every Saturday evening, surely with this film Stan and Ollie coming out, it’s time to re-show all those classic 20-minute family-friendly Laurel and Hardy episodes?

Slapstick comedy, no bad language, this is surely the time to bring Laurel and Hardy to a brand new audience, the much younger generation?

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Let’s keep their legacy alive and laugh at their crazy antics.

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