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A rose tinted view rather than a rescue

Henry Smith’s reply to G Woodward (SA, January 16) is quite laughable on every point.

He tells us Boris Johnson was a successful journalist. Even if true this would have no bearing on the probable course of his prime ministership.

But he was in the career Henry celebrates because his public-school family connections got him the jobs.

He was sacked by the Times for making stuff up. Apart from fabrication Johnson’s journalist career was punctuated by racism, and homophobia. He published an article in 2004 blaming Liverpool fans for the Hillsborough disaster.Then Henry writes: “Conservatives came to the rescue (of the economy) in 2015.”

Mr Smith is like the man who showed himself up by singing inappropriate joyful songs at a funeral.

The economy has grown, very slowly since 2013. Since 2015, the year Henry says the Tories rode to the rescue, the rate of growth in the economy has declined.

Today economists and business people are begging the Government to do something different to get the economy out of its current stagnation.

I’m afraid Mr Smith’s rose tints aren’t helping him with reality.

Peter Smith, Woodside Avenue

Police council tax survey ‘a charade’

In a recent letter I suggested that Angus Macpherson’s intent to consult with the public with regard to the policing precept was a charade and so it has proven to be.

The police and crime commissioner has now declared that irrespective of what amount of money is made available in the Government’s central grant he will impose a 5.8 per cent increase.

In attempting to justify his actions he cites other authorities who have raised their precepts by much more than £1 per month.

Such a technique to justify any spending is the last resort of the manager who simply cannot manage.

Just because Gloucestershire did something 12 years ago (before PCCs were introduced) is immaterial to the debate, although it does allow him to make a nonsensical statement. It is clear that Mr Macpherson has exhausted his ideas base and now is the right time for him to go and hand over the task of running the PCC office to new blood.

Sadly, his successor will have to live with the precept decision made by Mr Macpherson even at his latest hour in post.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive