ES Views: Election is our last chance to see sense about Brexit

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Theresa May has vowed to get the best deal for Britain in Brexit negotiations
EPA
31 May 2017
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In the election build-up, the media have focused on U-turns and smoke and mirrors in areas of failure, especially in social care. We can choose whether to believe them or not but they only deflect from Brexit, the real cause of this election.

Brexit was and is a travesty engineered by the Conservative Party. It was David Cameron who assumed the UK would vote Remain, and after it backfired Brexit is now being peddled in the opposite direction by Theresa May.

The consequence of this charade is a wholesale act of betrayal of the real values and interests of our country, with consequences for generations to come. The dangers and chaos of Brexit more than warrant the Government being kicked out of power lock, stock and barrel.

Regardless of who manages to convince a disenchanted electorate to vote for them, the implications of Brexit for all the leading parties must still remain the single point of focus. The election must be seen as a chance to reject the abandonment of deep cultural and financial European interests and our long-held transnational commitments.
Richard Hornsby


The present and past company kept by Jeremy Corbyn, and the pronouncements made by him in respect of extremists and racists, render him unfit to govern, especially in the light of the recent terrorist atrocity in Manchester. Corbyn’s unelectability arguably makes him the worst Labour Party leader in history.

Corbyn effectively demonstrates the Peter Principle, whereby a person rises to the level of their incompetence. By contrast, he makes Theresa May look increasingly “strong and stable”, although she would be wise not to repeat this phrase ad nauseam.

With the general election imminent, is the Prime Minister not rubbing her hands and praying that Corbyn stays as Labour leader for many years to come?
Gavin Littaur
 

During a visit to Twickenham Theresa May spent an hour in a school that was closed for half-term. She refused to talk to anyone who was not invited and was surrounded by activists and Tory councillors.

Given that many local schools face a funding squeeze thanks to her party, it is insulting to parents and teachers that she chose a bank holiday in a closed school to relaunch her campaign, and therefore not have to answer questions about school cuts.

This shows that far from being “strong and stable”, Mrs May is more like a porcelain doll, so fragile that she cannot talk to anyone who may challenge her.
Chris Key


How should we define terrorism?

Whyare Muslims who plant bombs labelled as terrorists but non-Muslims who do so are not? Last week the Old Bailey convicted Damon Smith for building a viable bomb filled with ball-bearings and leaving it on the Tube. Had it gone off it would have caused mass casualties.

In spite of Smith having a persistent fascination with terrorism, the judge said Smith was not motivated by it. Other notable examples include Anders Breivik and Jo Cox’s murderer Thomas Mair, who are rarely described as terrorists. Is terrorism therefore defined by the act or by the religion of the attacker?
​Mirza Ali


It's fair to make us pay for social care

I cannot believe the furore over the Conservative Party’s proposed changes to paying for social care at home.

The outrage has nothing to do with care but is rather about expecting the state not to make any demands on inheritance. If you can’t look after yourself your family should be next in line. Failing that, the state should step in.

For the record, I am reasonably well off, with a valuable home. If I am lucky enough to live longer, I will use the equity tied up in my property to improve the quality of my care.
A G Surrey


Don't stop printing useful TfL maps

As a frequent visitor to London I use the five area bus maps to get around your fine city. So what is Transport for London thinking by doing away with these invaluable maps? They are the easiest way to see which bus, tram, Tube or Overground train you need to get from A to B. It simply is not possible to use them on a smartphone or tablet.

Think of the tourists who will now be less informed and may get lost. Any other top European city would never dream of stopping the publication of such useful maps. The Mayor and TfL should reconsider.
Paul Kirby

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Cycles should have number plates too

The only realistic solution to the problem of aggressive and inconsiderate cyclists is to introduce number plates. A bicycle is, after all, a vehicle just like any other and ought to be numbered similarly.

Another suggestion is that cyclists should be required by law to wear fluorescent sashes around their bodies or arms. These could display identifications that could be monitored by the police. Strips of this kind are already in use in nurseries and schools and nobody seems to have found them particularly objectionable. Can’t cyclists adapt similarly?
Antony Porter

Four cyclists have been killed in London this year already. Many will point to the fact that this figure decreased in comparison to 2016, when nine cyclists died in the same period, but this shouldn’t be a cause for celebration.

With the technology and funds available, everyone should be able to cycle in London without the risk of death.
David Weeks

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We need video for crucial decisions

I am a Chelsea fan who watched with fury after another refereeing mistake cost my team in the FA Cup final. It was obvious that Arsenal were the better team and deserved their success but Alexis Sanchez’s opener shouldn’t have been allowed as Aaron Ramsey clearly interfered with play when he shielded the ball.

While the offside rule is complex, this should have been a clear call for Anthony Taylor. The sooner video technology arrives, the better.
Paul Mariner

Three years ago, then Swansea manager Garry Monk incurred the wrath of Stoke City owner Peter Coates by accusing Victor Moses — then on loan to Stoke from Chelsea — of a deliberate dive that cost Swansea vital points. Coates accused Monk of bringing the game into disrepute but many of us thought he was spot-on.

How good it was then that Moses was sent off for trying the same stunt for Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
Dai Woosnam

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