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Forgotten pledges

Prior to the 2015 election David Cameron told the country “Britain faces a simple and inescapable choice: stability and a strong government with me or chaos under Ed Milliband.”

Then, following the Tories’ electoral success and in the run-up to the referendum, Michael Gove said “The day after we vote leave, we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want.”

The Conservative Government has had over two years to make good on these pledges. All they have managed to come up with is a deal which is unacceptable even to substantial numbers of their own MPs and from which the other 27 EU countries apparently won’t budge. Perhaps the EU is not as disunited as Bill Williams would have us believe in his frequent letters to this paper.

Now, when it’s too late to influence the shape of the deal, Theresa May has offered talks with the other Parliamentary parties to find a consensus. However, she’s reportedly unwilling to abandon any of the “red lines” around which her discredited deal is fashioned, while at the same time she’s unwilling to accept the Labour Party “red line” of a no deal Brexit. Evidently these talks are not to be real consultations or negotiations in any true sense.

Unlike Steve Halden (Labour holding us up, SA 22nd January), I think Jeremy Corbyn’s refusal to participate is in everyone’s best interest. Brexit was a Tory Party project from the outset, intended to “see off” the anti EU faction within its own ranks. Let those who sow the wind reap the whirlwind.

Don Reeve, Horder Mews, Old Town, Swindon

We need place of safety

In your article (SA 21st Jan.) on the campaign to reopen the place of safety in Swindon you state “Sandalwood Court’s place of safety suite closed last March. NHS Swindon CCG said the closure would last 12 months while the effectiveness of an expanded facility at Devizes Green Lane Hospital was tested”.

It is to be hoped that the CCG will publish the result of their ‘test’ before making any final (permanent) decision.

It would be interesting to obtain the figures (by Freedom Of Information request, if necessary) of how many people with an SN postcode were taken to the Devizes unit during the year; compared to the number of those from other areas.

If the majority (or even a significant minority) came from the SN area, this would strengthen the case for a place of safety in Swindon.

Malcolm Morrison, Prospect Hill, Swindon

Age limit for driving

I was not surprised that the Duke of Edinburgh is still driving. A lot of elderly people think that they are still as good as when they were in their mid-fifties.

Time takes a toll on us all. I would sit with my husband when he was driving and I would remark that he was very near the kerb quite often.

One day he took the car out on his own and drove round the block. When he came back he said that he was giving up at the age of 73. He had lost his confidence and said that he would no longer risk other people’s lives by continuing to drive.

I think that there should be an age limit. It was very difficult to give up our independence, but we now rely on friends and taxis to get us there and back.

My husband said that the risk was not necessary, he has no regrets and can sleep soundly at night.

Janet Woodham, Scotby Avenue, Old Town