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Higher prices inevitable

I loved Steve Halden’s letter (Adver April 2nd) although I have no clue at all what point he is making. There is a lovely German expression ‘Schadenfreude’ meaning literally taking pleasure in another’s discomfort.

I feel a bit like this over the ‘iconic’ blue passport we will soon all get to replace the ‘non-iconic’ red one.

The reason large contracts like this are put out to pan European tender is because it delivers the lowest price for the consumer. Protectionism, insularity and trade barriers, whilst currently seemingly in vogue, inevitably deliver higher prices and protect inefficiency. For example let’s say the Franco-German passport price is £71 but the Tyneside De La Rue option is £91. As wages are actually very similar (the French working less hours also) it can only be because DLR are less efficient, ergo we pay the higher price. Brexiteers of course know this but feel it’s a price worth paying.

The ludicrous idea driven by Fox, Bojo and Co, that they can simply waltz into new trade with India, China and Korea is laughable when even with the advantage of low wages, longer working hours, geography, years of market intelligence, and excellent Government contacts in place, the country cannot even compete in printing!

Returning to ‘Schadenfreude’, the Brexit boys hate the EU, want to create fortress Britain, but can’t bring themselves to tell you how much more expensive for all of us this will turn out to be. Ironically this debacle has lifted one small corner of the veil over this issue.

John Stooke, Haydon End

Nigel is a hero

In reply to Howard March, Adver 30th March. After reading his comments on my letter and his remarks regarding Nigel Farage, let me remind him of one clear factual point. Without Nigel Farage putting the fear of death into the millionaire’s row brigade of the Conservative party and securing over four million votes for UKIP, Cameron would never have allowed a referendum. That was the last thing the establishment wanted. They then tried to frighten us into voting to stay in the European Disunion, to no avail.

Nigel Farage is a hero to all free-spirited British people who have no wish to be ruled by any foreign power, with petty rules and regulations that ruin our businesses, give us no control of our own borders, and plunder our fishing rights.

I think it is time all the remoaners tore up their photographs of Ted Heath on their bedside tables. The game is up, you lost. It is called the democratic vote of the majority of the British people.

Bill Williams, Merlin Way, Covingham, Swindon

A poor record

I would like to thank K Kane for reminding us that when Swindon became a unitary authority in the late 1990s it inherited services that had been left to decay by the Tories at Wiltshire County Council, (Taken for fools, SA 4th April). He remembers, as we all do, the steep council tax rises that were necessary to bring library provision and highway maintenance, among others, up to scratch.

Unfortunately he seems to have forgotten that having campaigned for tax reductions, the Tory administration that came to power in 2004 didn’t give one penny back to the tax payers. To my mind that’s proof positive that the tax increases were unavoidable if the council wanted to provide the services we all expected.

Since then, of course, the Tories have routinely “frozen” the council tax, choosing instead to whittle away services. The final humiliation came when they had to pass services over to newly created parish councils that no one wanted because they were simply running out of cash. What sort of a record is that?

I wonder also if K Kane can recall how well set the council’s finances were in 2003 with adequate balances and very little debt.

I understand Swindon now has soaring debts with little prospect of revenue receipts to pay them off. So in due course they’ll come back to bite us all.

Don Reeve, Horder Mews, Old Town, Swindon

Left in the cold

K Kane is absolutely right in complaining about Labour government’s massive overspending and under achieving. I still remember the awful day in 1997 when Tony Blair won the election and the shameful 10 years that followed.

Letting left wingers into power in any situation is a huge mistake. They favour and promote everything anti British and despise market based economies.

The country has always historically been ruined by every Labour government that managed to weasel it’s way into power.

Roger Lack, West Swindon