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Supposition, not fact

IN HIS letter of November 24, Jeff Adams made a number of assertions which, when subjected to closer examination, were proved to be his opinion and not fact-based on evidence.

He started with a claim that the Windsors are the richest land-owning family in the world. It passed him by that they are not even the richest land owning family in the UK and the Queen doesn’t even ‘own’ what is referred to as Crown Property.

He then claimed that Buckingham Palace is owned by the Queen, another figment of Jeff’s imagination, as is his claim the Queen is a ‘rogue tenant.’

Sadly, such is his dislike of the institution of monarchy which he claims “poisons” our national culture he will engage in amazing hyperbole to justify his position.

Jeff refuses to accept that the Queen, in her role as a constitutional monarch, cannot “summon the PM of the day and tell him/her what to do” – a state of affairs which may well have been the case in the 18th and 19th centuries but not now.

Her peripheral role as an individual is to offer counsel and advice and while she does indeed reign, she does not rule.

In his latest letter (SA, Dec 24) Jeff harks back to the 18th and 19th centuries, using an age old argument which he knows has credibility, and then attempts to impose that argument on the 20th century where it falls down on the simple fact that it has no relevance.

Finally, Joan Smith’s book Down With The Royals does not in any way prove the current Queen “meddles in politics” and Ms Smith’s assertions are her opinions, not supported by any fact, only supposition.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive, Swindon

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Past world ‘fantasy’

IT’S near the close of the year but I feel obliged to reply again to Bill Williams.

He says I stated, “the press are owned by the Tory press.”

I actually wrote that our Tory press is owned lock stock and barrel by self-serving billionaires.

This concentration of power is well known and is increasing. Our national media serves a daily diet of misinformation designed to bolster the world view of the very rich minority.

Williams’ reference to The Guardian, Daily Mirror and Morning Star is irrelevant. Only the Morning Star ever comes close to reporting on or supporting the struggles of ordinary people against austerity, for example, and in any case the other two are owned by millionaires.

On the issue of climate change Williams repeats the common confusion of weather (short term and/or unusual events) with climate change (long and medium term trends).

This is related to the odd belief climate scientists are unaware of past ice ages and natural climate cycles. But analysis of these reinforces the consensus that the Earth is warming at an increasing rate due to the release of greenhouse gases.

His comment on snow in the Sahara is irrelevant.

On his closing list, the problem here is diagnosis. Among his “indigenous” this and “my country” that fantasies Williams forgets that ordinary people here were always squeezed by the rich.

I would suggest that pensioners would benefit more from a growth of some of the recent strikes for pension schemes than they would from fantasies about a past world that never existed.

PETER SMITH

Woodside Avenue, Swindon

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Laws keep us safe

THE German police have failed the residents of Berlin. There was a litany of errors while tracing the suspect for the Berlin terrorist attack who was finally caught and shot in Italy.

During the same week the EU Court of Justice told the British police that their system of collecting data on terrorism broke EU Human Rights laws.

The tough surveillance laws in Britain have kept us safe while in Europe there have been many shocking security failures.

The British Government has been overruled by the EU Court and Britain must now follow the German system for collecting data on terrorist suspects.

STEVE HALDEN

Beaufort Green, Swindon

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Long lasting principles

IF A British citizen has a strong belief in an ethical principle that nations should unite in shared purposes to protect the planet and to promote peace, then he or she is unlikely to suffer a change of heart to support an isolationist Brexit UK when the dire consequences are revealed in time.

So when there is an election in 2020, such citizens will then vote for whichever party proposes an application to rejoin the EU, and the advance of all nations towards co-operation for peaceful ends, free of nuclear threats.

The power of the UK media to inflame populist emotion, quite divorced from intelligent consideration of the hopes of the rest of the world, has been demonstrated.

But, thankfully, the more thoughtful power of ethical principles, adopted by 27 nations, will be longer lasting.

C N WESTERMAN

Meadow Rise, Brynna, Mid Glam

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Self interest or naivety?

ONE of my favourite films is The Day Of The Jackal, adapted from the book by Frederick Forsyth, the author who put his money up front, in a bid to bail out a war hero incarcerated on the altar of political correctness – namely sergeant Alexander Blackman.

Perhaps the judiciary involved intend alter .They do so at their financial lucrative pensions at tax payers expense and job security peril ,regarding public opinion in a democratic society.

Anyone who watched the film must have admired the assassin’s guile in evading capture, brilliantly acted by Edward Fox.

A dead baby’s identity created a false passport to cross borders.

Recently a mass murderer, an asylum seeker, crossed borders in Europe with impunity after the Berlin market massacre.

May I ask the bleeding heart brigade one question? Who in their right mind would encourage this insanity in allowing death and destruction on British streets unless out of self-interest or naivety?

BILL WILLIAMS

Merlin Way, Covingham, Swindon