Letters - Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Viewing the litter that blights our British environment, I have been searching for words to describe the people responsible. “Careless” was the first to come to mind, followed by “selfish, thoughtless and inconsiderate”. None of which seemed to identify the causes of our British litter problem. The other morning, at a bus stop, I challenged a man who discarded a couple of cellophane wrappers on the pavement, when he was standing two steps from a litter bin. His response was very negative, first telling me “You pick it up”, then launching into a diatribe about street cleaners, which continued as I got on to the bus. I wondered how, at this time of Greta Thunberg, Extinction Rebellion and Veganuary, anybody could not be aware of what they are doing. The man’s response provided me with the word – “disconnected”. He clearly was disconnected from the effect of his actions on the world around him. The same can be said of drivers who speed through 20mph zones and for the owners of large SUVs and similar vehicles, who are still buying them in spite of their deleterious environmental impact. Unlike the man at the bus stop, these are people who have the wherewithal to set us a good example. Are we living in a society where many members are actually disconnected from that society? John G Davies Address supplied POLITICS Goodbye to MP Gordon Marsden I must write about losing our MP Mr Gordon Marsden, so sad. People must like food banks, NHS waiting times, universal credit etc. What an ending to 2019. Ian Duncan Smith has been given a knight hood - so very wrong, his universal credit shambles - what he has done to our people. Upset Labour man of 40 years Marton TV It was not meant to be like the original Mr R N Coupe complains that the BBC’s new version of A Christmas Carol is not as Charles Dickens wrote it. That is because it was not meant to be. The publicity for the serial made it clear that this was going to be a new interpretation of the tale for the 21st century which is pretty well what we got, though whether it works as such is a matter of personal opinion. For those disappointed with this version there are plenty of film adaptations to choose from and certainly more than just four. And that does not include the Muppets! Barry McCann Blackpool SOCIETY It’s no wonder people flytip I had reason to go to Bristol Avenue, Bispham tip over Christmas with some sanitary ware. I was told I couldn’t tip it, as I needed a permit by an obnoxious man. It’s no wonder people fly tip and cost the council thousands of pounds to clear it up. On this occasion the man was joined by another and in the end decided to let me tip it. It was from my own home not a building firm (one piece). So this council needs to get its act together and sort it out. I remember the tip was open all day and you could take anything and the staff were very helpful. Talk about progress, I don’t think so! R Wrigley Bispham BREXIT Labour’s policy a ‘dog’s breakfast’ For the attention of the current Labour Party leader candidates: The last election was only triggered because Westminster has being doing its best to overturn the will of the people. So, it was a “Brexit” election – the second referendum if you will, that the Remoaners were so happy to ask for. It wasn’t about free broadband, nationalising the rail or writing off student debt. It was a vote on getting Brexit done and the Labour policy on Brexit was a dog’s breakfast. No wonder they tried to talk about anything but Brexit and I told everyone that would listen, that they would get a kicking. I even said that people ought not to underestimate how many working class Labour voters, wanted out. But, you can’t tell some people I suppose… Rob Clark Via email