Breaking international law is worrying

I am deeply worried that the government plans to break promises made in the Withdrawal Agreement; an international treaty signed less than a year ago.

The Northern Ireland secretary admitted this would break international law.

The Internal Markets Bill will renege on commitments to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and would set negotiations with Europe back to square one. This Bill has already passed its second reading with a sizable Conservative majority.

The Conservatives pride themselves on being the party of law and order, of economic stability and of the Union. Now the government is openly breaking international law and paving the way to a no-deal economic disaster. How can the Conservative and Unionist party jeopardise the hard-won peace in Northern Ireland?

The Prime Minister does not speak for ordinary Conservatives. He was elected to deliver a comprehensive, oven-ready deal with Europe, which would help communities like mine. Yet his actions threaten not only the reputation of the Conservative Party, but the global reputation of the UK as a trustworthy nation.

John Ferguson, Wokingham

Like millions, I’ve had enough

That’s a hint that I have something to say about the faux – meaning false – government we have.

At a time when the economy may dive beyond redemption later this year, and our trade depend on WTO terms, we may become desperate as a nation, yet I still detect our comedian PM thinks he is doing a good job. Brexit is something in the past, he says.

I think the population of this country thought relations with all those EU states and our friends, would still be good but different after Brexit. Sorry folks.

When his classically incompetent cabinet find they cannot manage to achieve anything, they appear to rely on introducing legislation.

In addition we have little dictators whose attitude to the public is a disgrace – health, home office, transport to identify a few.

I wrote to the national press a week ago, asking the Conservative party to take a vote of no confidence in Boris and his cabinet, and throw them all out of office. I would like to see Jacob Rees-Mogg take over as Prime Minister, and form a new Cabinet before it is too late for our country.

‘Dream-on’ seems to apply.

Reg Clifton, Wokingham

Animal welfare

As politicians return to parliament after their summer break, they are faced with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect the UK’s farm animal welfare standards.

Failure to act now could result in a catastrophic weakening of the hard-won protections for millions of animals in this country. We are calling on the people of Berkshire to sign our petition urging Government to ban lower standard imports.

With three months until Brexit, the increasing risk of there being no deal with our European neighbours, and as a net importer of nearly 40% of our food, the vast majority coming from the European Union, the Government has to feed the nation.

Manifesto promises and parliamentary pronouncements guaranteeing to protect our high welfare standards as we seek new trade deals around the globe have not been backed up by the legal protections that are essential to ensure the Government does not roll back on their commitment to protect British farmers and their animals.

The realities of chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-treated beef ending up on our supermarket shelves have been well documented, but British consumers also face having products from pigs produced using sow stalls, banned in the UK since 1999, and egg products from laying hens kept in barren battery cages, also illegal in this country since 2012.

Lords are due to discuss this vital issue this week – how we feed the nation and crucially where it comes from and how it is produced, is becoming an increasingly pressing issue and we know the public back our campaign to protect and enhance our food standards.

A recent survey showed 77% of adults in the South East region want the Government to honour its commitment not to lower animal welfare standards

Without clear legislation banning food produced to lower welfare standards from our shores, we rely totally on political promises and risk setting back animal welfare by decades, causing the suffering of more animals to produce the food on our plates and failing to protect British farmers.

We urge UK shoppers to sign our petition at www.rspca.org.uk/agribill in the hope that the Government will listen to the British public and protect our hard-won farm animal welfare.

Chris Sherwood, CEO RSPCA

Time for a coffee

I am writing to ask your readers to raise a mug for Macmillan Cancer Support’s 30th annual Coffee Morning so we can provide vital support to people with cancer, who need it now more than ever.

This year’s Macmillan Coffee Morning will be on Friday, September 25, but we are encouraging people to get involved by hosting a virtual or socially distanced event. Nothing stops a Macmillan Coffee Morning.

Before Covid-19, many patients told Macmillan being diagnosed with cancer and going through treatment was the scariest thing that they could imagine.

These anxieties and concerns have not gone away during the pandemic – they’ve been made worse, meaning Macmillan needs support from people in Wokingham more than ever to provide the vital support people living with cancer rely on.

Every penny raised by Coffee Morning helps Macmillan to provide this support, and last year, Wokingham alone raised £71,800 in Coffee Mornings but as it stands, registrations are down 68%.

So I want to assure readers that they can still sign up now by visiting macmillan.org.uk/coffee or by searching for Macmillan Coffee Morning.

Toby Fielder, Head of fundraising, Macmillan Cancer Support, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7UQ

Remembering the Battle

As we all mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the RAF Benevolent Fund is working to highlight the role of the many who each played a critical part in securing victory.

Many of them lived and worked in the South East, home to not just airfields but also other critical installations such as radar. Others in the region may recall seeing the dogfights in the skies during that summer of 1940.

To pay tribute to all those who worked towards victory, we created a poignant light show projected onto two radar sites with images of a range of RAF personnel from air crew to radar operators. 
These help remind us of the many who supported the few, not just during the Second World War, but right up to the present day.

The RAF Benevolent Fund is there for the many – anyone who has EVER served in the RAF. We have a duty to support them in their time of need. We all have a last chance to do our duty, just as they did theirs, by giving them and their families the support they deserve.

In 2019, the RAF Benevolent Fund spent £1.3 million supporting 469 beneficiaries in the South East – but we know there are thousands more veterans out there in need of assistance.

Given the important role the RAF has played in the recent heritage of the region, we ask your readers to think if they know of any RAF veterans or their partners who may be in need of our support, particularly during this difficult time.

We can help them in so many ways.

To find out more or let us know of someone we might be able to help, please visit www.rafbf.org.

AVM Chris Elliot, RAF

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