Sir,

As more and more people stay at home to avoid the Corona virus, we could see the reliability of food, water and energy (not to mention NHS) services hit hard.

When that results in a higher casualty rate than that from the virus itself, then we will know that the policy has gone too far.

Can we assume that such risks are being evaluated by government agencies? 

Do they have any idea of when the balance point might be reached, bearing in mind that the majority of those providing essential services are likely to recover, if they do contract the virus?

Or will we only find out when those services begin to close down?

Respectfully, Mr King

 

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Sir,

Of course the Home office mandarin (who is paid more than our Prime Minister) is resisting removal, he has had it good for a long time while working against the people of this country behind the scenes.

I say remove to the Tower of London through the traitors gate, any and all of these ‘entitled’ people if they are not prepared to work for the good of British public who pay their wages, and who gave their instructions in the referendum in  2016, and again in the general election of 2019.

Give the Augean Stables a good clean out.

I back Priti Patel one hundred percent.

Respectfully, Jane Birkby

 

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Sir,

Amidst all the excitement about new EU immigration controls, something that has been forgotten is the impact on the hospitality industry amongst others. 

Minimum wage rises soon to £8.71 which X40 x52 is just over £18,000 a year.

Patel is talking about £26,000 a year. That’s the same figure that Blair introduced in 2005 I think, which immediately cut off all access to all commonwealth staff.

Had a huge impact on this business and now they’re doing it again. 

Respectfully, Alan Piper 

 

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Sir,

The plan for electric cars and the idea to make all residential properties gas and oil free is pure fantasy land. How on earth do they plan to generate enough electricity for 30million car. How are people living in terraced houses and apartments going to charge their cars. Is there a plan to electrify 40 ton trucks. Coaches and buses. How many wind farms and Nuclear power station need to be built. Nuclear power stations take 10 years to build so they had better start tomorrow. Do we make car batteries? The answer is no. What about the disposal of 30 million petrol and diesel cars etc let alone worn out batteries. The whole idea is wishful thinking . Perhaps the little Swedish wonder woman can come up with the answer. We wait with bated breath.

Respectfully, Alan Stannard

 

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Sir

Bringing forward the switch to Electric Vehicles (EV) to 2032, will require a more than doubling of national grid capacity.

By that date, the grid would need to be made CO2 neutral, with around 20 new 3,000 MW nuclear power stations, at a lead time of up to 10 years and a capital cost of around £200bn. (Look out for that in the Budget.)

Sadly the alternative of installing 60,000 MW of new solar and wind power will not not fit the bill, because the peak load will often arise when there is no sun or wind. 

Indeed, solar and wind power capacity is now only around 1% of maximum demand on some days. So an enormous amount of money would have to be spent on solar, wind power plus energy storage, to match the 24 x 7 grid demand profile.

That is in addition to the upgrading of Domestic electrical distribution systems, to power the EV battery chargers, plus 25 million new charging points along with many acres of new parking capacity.

Surely the first thing we need is politicians who grasp a) the laws of physics and b) that the U.K. produces less than 2% of global CO2 emissions.

What we don’t need is another Lemming like dash for solar and wind power, making electrical energy even more uncompetitive, only to drive more businesses abroad – where they will emit more CO2 than before.

Respectfully, Roger Arthur

 

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A poem by Bob Lomas:

WEALDEN SPRING   

What greater pleasure can there be

          To have the privilege to see

          A team of horses at their work

          The steady pull they never shirk.

 

Bright sunshine on a warm Spring day

          Entices passers-by to stay

          And watch the horses at their toil,

          To break and crush the Wintered soil.

 

Their hooves clump down at a steady pace,

          Unhurried, yet there is a race,

          For soon the dry Spring winds will come,

          And then, combined with scorching sun,

          Will bake the soil hard as a rock,

          Too hard to break for future crop.

 

The horses work from early dawn,

          And draw and sweat throughout the morn.

Their harness jingles with a ring,

          And high above a lark will sing.

The peewit, diving in display

          In another field not far away.

And a chiffchaff sings in a nearby copse,

          Where bluebells hide a resting fox.

 

But best of all, the mid-day break,

          When beneath the hedge the men will take

          That well earned rest against a stump,

          While the horses in their nosebags chump.

 

Those warm Spring days such pleasures bring

          When all the birds at once do sing,

          And I can work with friends so sure

          As Captain, Duke and bonny Flower.

(Photo courtesy of Bob Lomas)

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