Letters: April 22, 2016

Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters. Please note, the Adver will not be printing letters on local political subjects until after the elections in May.

‘Cop out’ on health

LAST week, on holiday in the Lake District, my wife’s seven-week-old grandson was overdue for a check-up, so was directed to the Children’s Centre in Keswick, where we were staying.

We went along and were warmly welcomed along with half a dozen or so other mums and babies in the time we were there while he was weighed and saw the health visitor.

I took the opportunity to ask if they were under any threat of closure.

Quite the opposite, they said - they’d just been told their funding was secure for another four years.

I had a look around - there were numerous displays and leaflets, giving much useful information to new parents, including signposting to various organisations that support parents facing various difficulties.

There was an excellent display that was, frankly, motivational, about the importance of interacting with your child, and encouraging and stimulating their development.

Keswick is one of nine Children’s Centres in the Allerdale Borough Council area, which serves a population of 93,492 - about half the size of Swindon.

A look at their newsletter showed that the centres were full of activities; the list is long, but included groups for grandparents looking after toddlers, numerous drop-in sessions, various activities to build children’s interest in reading, help for those suffering domestic abuse, help for lone parents wanting to return to work, first aid for young children, five separate programmes for partners - the list goes on.

Having seen for myself what Swindon is losing I am even more angry and frustrated this is happening.

Readers may remember an open letter I sent to Coun Foley, who is responsible for this, some time ago, detailing Government-sponsored evidence that closing these centres leads to poorer outcomes, especially for the most deprived, who need these services the most.

Coun Foley replied, saying this evidence would be ‘taken into consideration’. The plans went ahead regardless and my further request inviting dialogue was met with silence.

As a doctor, I am used to governments flying in the face of evidence with policies that turn out to be flawed.

When the first batch of Children’s Centres were closed last year, Coun Foley stated that, should the rest be closed, she would resign.

This time, she tended her resignation but it was not accepted by her leader.

By no stretch of the imagination could this be called honourable behaviour, when she could still have kept her word and resigned.

Saying ‘there is no money’ is a cop-out.

This administration has, not least by proudly declining to raise council tax when it could have done, got itself into this desperate situation and now finds itself knowingly doing harm. Quite extraordinary.

DR C N BARRY

The Bramptons

Shaw, Swindon

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Carry on tax avoidance

MARK Webb offers an interesting view on whether or not the political elite was correct when it claimed the ‘country was broke’ (SA 16 April).

Leaving aside the fact that there has never been a day when the ‘country was broke’ or even close to ‘being broke’ as it has always been capable of financing its debts and had enough money to fritter on Foreign Aid, opportunistic incursions into other countries and a degree of wasteful spending which makes the tax avoidance Mark refers to seem inconsequential.

Tax avoidance is perfectly legal and no Government has done enough to limit the ability of individuals and corporations to circumvent paying tax.

However, HMRC, which loves attacking the ‘little people’, is complicit in the biggest scandal of all time and that is its failure to collect over £34bn of tax which is legitimately due to be paid.

I share Mark’s concern that some high net worth individuals can afford to ‘manage’ their tax affairs better than most others, but they are doing nothing illegal and if we start to apply a moralistic tone we set ourselves up to make judgements based on spurious arguments and personal opinions.

The Panama Papers tell us nothing beyond what we already knew - some corrupt Government heads are siphoning off huge sums of Foreign Aid to build up their investment portfolios.

Some wealthy politicians from all parts of the political spectrum use legal means to avoid tax and a host of personalities are doing the same.

The point is that they have been doing this for as long as anyone cares to remember and, here’s a thought, they will be doing exactly the same in five years time.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive, Swindon

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Where are answers?

DES Morgan says ‘vote out’ which did surprise me (SA 16/04/2016).

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I often enjoy letters from Des, even if I have to look up my dictionary sometimes.

However I was disappointed this time, not because he says ‘out’ but because Des’ letter falls into the same ‘no-info’ wording as all Outers letters.

What is the PLAN Des? Tell me why a leap in the dark is better than an argument from within?

In February I wrote ‘Who in their right mind would jump into a black hole with Boris ?’

I have asked all Outers time and again, why has Boris bought two water Cannons for London when the Home Secretary Teresa May said he can’t use them in the UK.

I have yet to read or hear a reply or any indication of a plan for outside the EU.

I am the first to agree we are lucky to live in such a resourceful land but who owns our resources? The French even own our rain.

Just how long would the UK spend in the wilderness?

Can you imagine Boris as PM with a free hand in UK Government?

It is plain to see Boris considers EU regulations as ‘Red Tape’, a burden for British employers. I would suspect he has HIS plans already.

If readers really do want to see UK laws on employment protection, the Working Time Directive, safety laws and other protections removed, vote for Boris.

Boris has his view of the UK, much nearer Victorian values I imagine.

I don’t agree with all we see in the EU, but I am intelligent enough to realise we could do nothing if we stand on the edge of Europe with no say.

The No plan - Black Hole option is, to my mind, simply stupid.

If we were outside the EU, like Denmark or Sweden we would be affected by the EU, but have no say in the debate.

And Boris will be looking for someone else to blame. Would it be the international businesses; No. It would be the old and the vulnerable. So ‘Red Tape’ will go and the UK will return to the standards the rich like, Victorian values.

MIKE SPRY

Mayfield Close

Nythe, Swindon

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Discrimination angst

IN HIS letter (Marginalised Christians) April 11. Steve Jack gives his support to Richard Page who has been suspended by the NHS Trust in Kent because he is against same sex couples being allowed to care for children, because his Christian beliefs tell him it is not in the best interest of his children.

Discrimination against homosexuals and lesbians is against the law so, rightly, Richard Page has been suspended.

It really is time that Richard and his supporters start to live in 2016 and not live their lives by a book that was written 2,000 years ago.

Christians, homosexuals and lesbians are being persecuted in some parts of the world but for Steve Jack to claim that we are starting to see the persecution of Christians in the UK is both absurd and wrong.

I want to live in a world where there is peace and equality and justice for all, regardless of a person’s skin colour, sexuality, gender and religion.

Do you want the same Steve Jack? Or are you happy to live in a world that discriminates against homosexuals and lesbians?

MARTIN WEBB

Old Town, Swindon

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Let’s leave the EU

THE latest guidance from HM Treasury is a guesstimate based on What If (1); What If (2);

What If (3).

Fact 1: Most members of EU Government are unelected.

Fact 2: Most members total income is higher than is obtainable in their own country.

Fact 3: Not once has a yearly financial statement been ‘signed off’ by auditors.

Fact 4: We are being denied control over who can enter our country.

Fact 5: We are denied through the ‘Freedom Act’ the ability to deport those whom we consider undesirable.

Fact 6: Undoubtedly, should we leave, all manner of every day things will be in a state of flux but we have survived worse, ie 1939-1945.

Let’s Leave!

BRIAN BRADBURY-PRATT

Highworth

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Labour legacy anger

THE wrong headedness of one of the Webbs has become evident yet again, SA Monday, April 18.

The Conservatives have been left to clean up the mess left by the Labour governments of the ‘90s and early years of the 21st century.

What was the message left by the outgoing Labour chief secretary of the Treasury, Liam Byrne?.....Oh yes.... “I am afraid to tell you there’s is no money left.”

The degree of homelessness now is a direct result of Tony Blair’s policy of mass immigration which has been exacerbated by the latest in-rush of healthy young male economic migrants.

Perhaps M Webb should write to Tony Blair. With his £60m personal wealth and 10 houses he ought to be able to help, having been the root cause of our present problems.

The profligate spending of the Labour government and the financial mismanagement knows no bounds. Think of Brown selling off a vast tranche of our gold reserves at the bottom of the market and his infamous raid on our pensions.

Who in their right mind would criticise the present government having to wrestle with the Labour legacy?

HENRY SMITH

Whitefield Crescent

Swindon