YEP Letters: September 18

The very opposite of real discipline

Garth Frankland, by email

Every year at this time your paper runs stories of children being sent home because of changes in school uniform. The key word being uniform.

Headteachers justify their actions because of the need to maintain discipline in their school. In fact of course this is the very opposite of real discipline which is the students’ development and enjoyment of knowledge.

All they are interested is turning out uniform products which enable their schools to appear good on the Government league table. The development of curious and outward-looking children is completely secondary to this.

Council is barking up the wrong trees

Dr Mike Lowry, Leeds 16

Trees are always a welcome addition to any landscape, bringing improved air quality and protection against natural events such as flooding.

However the announcement by Councillor Judith Blake that Leeds Council is to plant trees as part of their ‘planned’ flood protection measures (YEP, September 13) conveniently fails to mention how it is the council’s own ill-advised approvals for new building on flood plains that is actually contributing to the problem.

One well publicised example is the current development at Moseley (Soggy) Bottom in Cookridge, which prior to its destruction was a natural and much needed soak away that aided flood prevention.

On the one hand the council’s approvals of such development contributes to the flooding, whilst as a smoke screen to distract from reality they plant trees at an ‘initial’ cost of £3.4m. What a farce.

Andrew Mercer, Guiseley

OTHER than trees, what plans do Leeds Council to ensure all new developments are flood-proofed from the outset to minimise the risk of damage in the future?

It could be a national leader if it had sufficient foresight to plan ahead.

Respect the people’s vote

Shaun Kavanagh, by email

Brexit was voted as the way forward for the UK by its people not politicians, so their vote should and must be respected, irrespective of the wants of the Remainers.

They should stop whinging and get behind what the vote decided, more so when the EU Council leader Antonio Tajani, Negotiator Michel Barnier and EU Commission President Jean Claude Juncker are all trying to dictate to GB what should or should not happen for our country.

Juncker had the audacity to question the stability of David Davis but fails to recognise the fact the EU need us more than we need them and their crazy dictatorial approach to most things which emanate from Brussels. Junker was recently witnessed greeting Tony Blair, who did little or no good for GB during his reign, particularly in the latter stages when his failures were severely challenged. Blair and Kinnock before him appear to have wheedled their way into the inner sanctum at Brussels with what appears to be “jobs for the boys” but why, as it can hardly be for being good at their previous jobs.

Britain have been pumping billions into Brussels year on year but with little gain so, why not leave the EU thereby taking back control over our own destiny from those who simply want to dictate policy for GB, policies which are often idiotic?

Furthermore, it appears the EU are happy to have finances controlled by the Deutsche Bundesbank but thankfully GB have retained their individuality together with monetary independence and should continue in the same way.

Decisions are not sacrosanct

Don Burslam, Dewsbury

SO the Brexit folly has cleared another hurdle. One argument I’ve got sick of hearing is that a democratic decision has been reached and we must get on with it. What dangerous nonsense! Decisions or at least result of referendums are not sacrosanct. All choices made by human beings can and must be open to challenge because man himself is fallible.

There is plenty of doubt about the wisdom of cutting adrift from the EU and to consider retracting must remain an option.

This country will not meet with disaster whatever happens but it is obviously prudent to proceed to a second referendum when the time comes. The young would be the ones affected most if things go wrong and they voted overwhelmingly to stay in.

We need to leave EU now

William Clayton, Kippax

1. A conscripted army/navy/air force (including nuclear) under EU control.

2. A legal directive to scrap the pound.

3. Interference in Northern Ireland as part of the UK.

4. All this has been muted in Europe.