YEP Letters: July 20

‘The only thing on line was washing’

Marjorie Whitehead, Chapel Allerton

Edna Levi (YEP Letters July 14) has pipped me at the post again. She is obviously better organised than I am!

Yes, why is it assumed that everyone has a computer or whatever it is to go “on-line”?

There have been many occasions in the paper requesting donations to some cause or another when I could have responded, but there was no address, just www.... we don’t all have gadgets or tablets - well, not that kind anyway.

It’s quite infuriating. And don’t get me started on these automated answer phones with lots of options, none of which seems to be quite right. Oh for a pleasant human voice answering “How many I help you?”

Alright, I’m living in the past, but life was simpler then and the only on line thing was washing.

May’s Brexit plan works in the real world

Mr C Cullen, Pudsey

I WROTE the following letter to the Prime Minister and my local MP because I am impressed with the Chequers agreement, despite having not voted to Leave or for the Conservatives.

“Dear Mrs May, I was gladdened and relieved on July 6 to see the proposals the Cabinet has agreed under your leadership. I found myself vocally supporting your answers to Andrew Marr’s questions on Sunday (which I never do for anyone).

Your Government’s proposal gives this country the best possible Brexit, and does amount to leaving the EU.Leaving the EU: the proposal gives sovereignty to the UK to make its own decisions, by putting the British Parliament in the position to sovereignly change laws as they see fit.

Some people mistakenly feel the UK is not sovereign unless it controls its circumstances, as well as its own actions. That is not realistic or reasonable.

The existence of the EU, and the political choices of other countries, not to mention our geographical location, are all naturally beyond the UK’s control; they are the circumstances in which we will now sovereignly decide our course of action.

The UK’s policies as a non-EU member: it also proposes to initially make very few actual changes to the laws and practices currently in place.

This is completely appropriate, because, throughout the referendum debates and ever since, despite the concept of ‘the EU forcing us to do things’ being important in everyone’s mind, no one has been suggesting any actual law or practice that they wanted to change.

The only exceptions, namely Boris Johnson’s nonsense about bananas and so forth, are untrue and calculated to mislead.

t is fair to conclude that the referendum electorate wanted the power to change things, but does not wish that power to be used, for now at least.

It may seem silly to leave the EU if we do not want to change anything.

Personally I decided, on balance, that Britain should continue as a full EU member. I was also disappointed to see you retain power at the last general election.

However, if the referendum result requires us to leave the EU, your proposals are by far the best course of action.

This is the first time I have felt you are providing strong and stable leadership to our country, and long may it continue.”

Brexit ‘no deal’ now looming

Mr R Hemingway, Meanwood

Theresa May’s abject negotiations and surrender of £39 billion to EU coffers and now the Chequers fiasco.

A hotch potch of a White Paper which nobody, including the EU, will be happy with.

Mr Barnier will undoubtedly do an Oliver Twist and ask for more as he has no intention whatsoever of giving the UK a fair deal.

As a no deal now looms it may be sensible to consider going down the World Trade Organisation route.

This could possibly propel the big guns of EU businesses to demand that Barnier make some concessions in order to achieve a satisfactory deal as there is so much at stake for both the EU and UK.

What the PM does next is anybody’s guess but you can guarantee it will be pro-EU.

Happy birthday to our NHS

A Hague, Harehills

Reading of celebrating 70 years birthday of our health service reminded me of having my tonsils removed when I was eight.

My father heard nurses say I was dying and wrapped me in a blanket and took me home. I got rheumatic fever, not being able to move my hands. I was taken to St James’ Hospital and operated on.

I had my ninth birthday in there. I missed school for a year but didn’t fall behind the rest of the class.

Many years later I read that infected tonsils can lead to rheumatic fever so whether my dad did the right thing or not I will never know.

I think I am lucky to reach a ripe age with no more complications regarding tonsils and thankfully taking tonsils out was stopped a long time ago.

Finally I wish our health service a very happy long life.

Box-ticking mentality is end of commonsense

Geoff Wilson, Harrogate

THERE have been increasing examples of a lack of common sense being applied to a wide variety of situations, such as individuals being compelled to wear a blazer despite the hot weather.

I feel that much of the problem lies in the ‘box-ticking’ mentality which has crept in since job descriptions were introduced. These betray an accountants’ approach to management where everything must have a costed box.

The problems arising from job descriptions is that, as well as defining what the job holder does, they also automatically define what he or she does not do.

Another aspect is that this situation can give higher management an opportunity to sit on or claim the credit for a good idea, should anyone have the temerity to think outside their box.

Another contributory factor is the use of the term “human resources” – which is about the most inhuman way to describe the workforce.

When I started work, the department concerned was the personnel department, a somewhat more human way 
of describing their reponsibilities.

Whatever happened to good old common sense?

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