IT IS hoped that the forthcoming elections deal with policies and not personalities.

In the first place we need to stop the de-Britishisation of our country by the five main parties, this includes the Scottish and Welsh nationalists.

We need to replace this trend by making Britain a world leader in its own right and not a collective wimp of the EU/USA.

The laissez-faire capitalism that has brought about our staggering debt which will have to be paid off by our children and their children, has had its day.

There are many pressing issues to be addressed and they need urgent attention, even if they are taboo to a political career.

Len Sandford

Lepton

Stuck in the middle

IT probably sounds defeatist and pessimistic but no matter which party is elected to form a government, one thing is sure, the standard of living of upper class people will barely be affected.

The lower classes, such as those living on benefits see child allowances and so on increased in line with inflation. There are examples of families with seven or eight children in receipt of £25/30,000 a year.

The ones who will always bear the brunt are middle working class who qualify for none of the perks and allowances of the others. This category also includes the old who have savings and sell their houses to pay for them.

So which shade of government will represent those who get forgotten?

Mrs N Clarke

Almondbury

Councillors just the job

THE Examiner recently published a list of Kirklees councillors along with their areas of responsibility.

Since many of these ‘job descriptions’ appear to be quite vague, I wonder how which of us will be able to grasp their true meaning.

More to the point, would any of us know if any of these councillors did not fulfil his/her duties?

Elsie M Eva

Lepton

Looking for work

I WAS very interested to read the article by Rebecca Unsworth (Examiner, March 27) regarding disabled people looking for employment.

I’ve had arthritis and Raynauds phenomenon for some time. I recently relocated from Birmingham to Huddersfield to be near our only daughter, who is a nurse, and to start the next chapter in our lives.

I decided it was time to look for clerical work as my husband lost his job last September and is unemployed for the first time in over 40 years.

We can’t get a mortgage until he’s working and our plan to buy a bungalow to see us to our senior years is on hold. We are still living with our daughter.

Due to my health people won’t give me the chance to prove I want to work – and I have to work if my husband can’t get a job.

Steph

Marsh

Building on the past

GOOD Friday was the fifth anniversary of the death of the Pope John Paul II, greatly revered by the Huddersfield Polish community because he contributed to the dismantling of the Soviet Bloc, not by military might, but by his famous proclamation of human dignity, and by his pastoral visits.

He encouraged people to demand their freedom. The Polish church was full to capacity during the service with people who came to Huddersfield from the WW2 period, as well as newcomers from Poland, now members of the European Union.

The church building, a former Unitarian church, has a remarkable history.

Its building was promoted by Frederic Schwann, born in 1797 in Germany, and greatly contributed to the Huddersfield heritage. Starting the Mechanics’ Institution and the old library were some of his achievements.

The building now is greatly transformed, extremely well cared for, and with its unusual style could be classified as a Huddersfield heritage.

Tony Sosna

Huddersfield

In at the deep end

WHAT in the world will some people think of next?

Nobody, it appears, is trusted. Male swimmers are not allowed to use changing rooms because children are there. This is totally wrong. Common sense is needed.

I hope Craig Roper and others will not put up with this idiotic idea.

Mrs E V Taylor

Golcar

A bleak wasteland

I AM writing about St George’s Square. I have seen it personally and on television. The only opinion I can give about our ‘reconstituted’ square is bleak.

There are no trees, no flowers, no life. Bland, featureless and cold, is how it appears to me. It is unwelcoming and gives a very poor impression of Huddersfield. Aesthetically it is unbelievably rotten!

What a disappointment this is for the amount of money spent on it. I’m surprised Harold doesn’t fall off his podium, looking at this barren waste.

Joan Eccles

Moldgreen

Compare the markets

THE Queensgate market described in last Fridays’ Examiner (Controversial ‘gem’celebrates 40 years) bears no resemblance to the market I walk around.

The place is desolate now. It has no atmosphere, just businesses closing down and empty premises.

In fact some days there are more owners than customers.

As for our old market, there’s one exact replica in Shrewsbury in pristine condition and thriving, making our Queensgate look quite ordinary and dull.

D Brown

Honley

Illness misunderstood

I READ John Kaye’s letter concerning drugs and metal illness with interest (Mailbag, March 31) and I can tell Mr Kaye that I have been a victim of mental illness and I have also worked alongside people who have suffered from it.

Mental illness is little understood, not just by the public but by GPs as well.

Lucky for me my own GP had good understanding of what was happening to me and she helped me recover from it, but I went to other GPs who seemed to me to have a total lack of understanding.

Mental illness can affect anyone at any time and the reasons are usually stress-related.

Many people with schizophrenia smoke to relieve it and are more likely to suffer heart problems than the rest of the public, so it is advisable they take their medication regularly and report any adverse side affects so it can be changed if necessary. Therapy is useful and so is counselling, but at the end of the day not all people respond to this. Each case differs, like the person who has it and how they and the doctor deal with it.

I agree we all have a lot to learn about mental health and doctors should bear in mind the brain is a part of the body and it, like other organs, can suffer ill-health.

Colin Vause

Marsh

Barry stands alone

I HOPE that the bikers of Huddersfield realise that the views of Barry Sheerman are just that, the views of Barry Sheerman, not of the Labour Party.

All protests should be aimed at him alone.

F Taylor

Marsden

Sad switch off

I AM rather sad to see that Pennine FM (ex Home FM) have decided to call it a day.

I have been a fairly regular listener to the station since it started.

The station covered Town when perhaps other stations now involved did not want to do so and I cannot help but feel that Town going with Radio Leeds has had some part in the failing of the station, losing listeners and much later added to the current financial issues that have also surely had a part to play in the decision.

Well done to all involved over the years and surely a town the size of Huddersfield ought to be able to support a local radio station.

Marcus

Newsome