SO Barry Sheerman MP is happy to inform everyone that Christmas cards are a waste of money, bad for the environment and he doesn’t want businesses to send them (Examiner Nov 27).
Not only is that yet another attack on a traditional British custom, something his government seems prone to do as often as they can, but as an employee in the greeting card industry maybe I can make him aware of a couple of facts first, before he asks anyone not to send cards.
Firstly, greetings cards are printed on recycled paper so their environmental impact is minimal, plus postmen will still tend to make the journey to people’s front doors with or without a Christmas card to deliver.
Secondly, does he not realise that West Yorkshire is perhaps the main area of the country for greeting card production with several major publishers within such a short distance of Huddersfield, and that there will be many of his constituents employed in this industry?
How ironic then that the MP representing them under the banner of the Labour Party, should at a time when greeting card companies are already suffering due to the current economic crisis, publicly ask people to hammer another nail in their coffin!
Perhaps Mr Sheerman would rather visit his local card shop and see if they sell any “Good luck in finding a new job” cards for any local people employed in the industry?
Lee Fearnley
Mirfield
Shed light on this debacle!
CREDIT crunch Christmas countdown – ……… 5,4,3,2,1 ….. NOTHING.
The Holmfirth Christmas lights “switch on” (and I use those words cautiously) was stunning. Stunning in as much as everyone around me was stunned into silence as we all stood there in anticipation.
We counted down from 10 after two nailbiting rehearsals and waited for Bart Simpson to light up Holmfirth with a bright, shining, glowing, glittering array of festive illuminations.
Unfortunately some of the lights around us were already on but the Christmas tree across from the White Hart pub and the lights on the side of the church were darkened so perhaps, we wondered, there was a surprise for us all. Sadly our cynicism won and that was it.
Nothing happened as they failed, fused or forgot to light up for the huge number of people that had turned out and packed the bus station car park. Thank goodness for the chap selling light sabres, glow sticks and flashing bunny ears as that was probably the best lights the excited expectant children would get to see.
I felt sorry for the Mayor, as he danced on the stage with members of Holme Valley Business Association. He generously thanked everyone who had helped make the event a success and wished everyone well and hoped this would be the start of Christmas time.
He must have wondered what Holmfirth was doing inviting crowds of people to buy a burger, walk around the Riverside Shopping Centre which was lovely, or would have been had the 7 units we were assured would open actually had done.
I also felt sorry for the people standing next to us who had come from Rotherham, booked into a guest house to have a good afternoon and night out starting with the grand “switch on”. We pointed them in the direction of a couple of good hostelries so they could drown their sorrows. “Is that it?” they asked.
Bobby Ball switched the lights on last year and his first words after pressing the magic button was “ is that it?” Perhaps this should have caused alarm bells to ring and to ensure that 2008 should be a highlight not a let down. My husband and I shook our heads and walked into the very handy neighbourhood police unit to report this hideous crime.
Robbed
Holmfirth
Shocked by girls’ parade
AGAINST my better judgement I visited Huddersfield town centre for a Friday night out. My friend and I walked down past Huddersfield Parish Church towards what used to be Johnny’s nightclub.
I was shocked to see girls parading about down there – some who looked about 14. There were a number of young lads congregating there who obviously appreciated the show. I am guessing this happens every Friday night. I am very broad-minded but surprised that this is going on in Huddersfield – am I just naive?
John
Huddersfield
Warning signs of police state
NO ONE, with the exception of the reigning monarch, is above the law of the land. There are important matters arising from the arrest of Damian Green, though.
The alleged offence, apparently of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, is, to say the least, vague. So vague as to have the ability to amount to a “catch-all” excuse for a fishing expedition (not that our constabulary would ever stoop to such “misconduct in public office”, of course). I am not alleging Government collusion here, but there may be the suspicion of a faint echo of the infamous “who would rid me of this turbulent priest?” remark which led to the death of Thomas à Becket.
In our democracy it is the duty of the opposition to oppose. It is a major duty of the police to protect this democracy, “without fear or favour”. In doing this the police are required to act apolitically, else democracy falls. If the party (I care not which) in government is being “economical with the truth”, or is trying to “bury” bad news, then it is the clear duty of the opposition of the day to expose this to scrutiny. There is no reason why the Government should be protected by law or the police from public embarrassment, nor should it be.
From media reports, it seems that the “misconduct” referred to relates to the “leaking” of politically sensitive, but not national security-related, information by a civil servant to Green. This may or may not be a breach of contract (it would certainly be a breach of trust), but it does not seem, at face value, to be a criminal matter, let alone one worthy of the arrest of an MP and the exercise of criminal law powers of the police to seize his documents etc. as evidence.
Allegations of a police state are certainly premature, but the warning signs are there. It is not enough for the Government simply to say “we knew nuffin’ Guv”. We need a clear statement that the police force must keep itself far above politics. At all times.
Bill Armer
Deighton
An all-too weighty problem
ONE in three adults is overweight (Examiner Nov 27). But what are the consequences? To impress on the public the dangers of being overweight (or obese) they need to know, for instance, how likely they are to die in their 50s or 60s, in contrast with other adults in West Yorkshire.
The figures presented should allow for smoking habits, gender, any variety in death rates across race, and mention all factors which the medical profession do not yet understand. Some overweight people may outlive your scrutiny panel.
Garfi
Look around you to be safe
RECENTLY I have become aware of a new danger to both the driving public and pedestrians – a brand-new phenomenon in our midst – that of the low-flying pedestrian.
How to achieve that status is quite simple. You need to attend college and have a road to cross to get there. After that it’s simple.
You just walk down the pavement and then without a care in the world walk straight out onto the crossing in front of passing traffic. Simple...
People will say that you have to take into account that pedestrians have a right of way at a crossing. Quite right. Once on a pedestrian crossing they have the freedom to cross safely. However what they do not have is the freedom to walk straight out onto the crossing. They should, (taking them back to road safety at junior school), look left, look right then left again and make sure it is SAFE to cross.
If in effect they cannot do this then the very least they should do is wait until a driver sees them and STOPS for them to cross.
Accidents do happen but can be avoided by simple road knowledge and safety. Do not simply believe that the crossing is an extension of the pavement. And always remember that where there is a safety hatch in the middle of the road on a crossing it makes the one crossing into two separate crossings. So look on both sides.
Perhaps the youths of Huddersfield New College could do with the police calling to give them road safety advice...
DAC
Salendine Nook
