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Election reminder

From the Editor

Following the announcement of the General Election and the start of campaigning, we would remind all readers that they should make clear any political affiliation/membership of a political party/public office eg councillor when writing Letters to the Editor, and that all letters are subject to editing. Thank you.

Desecration

It wasn’t that long ago that the staggering fact emerged that Trowbridge, our County Town, was the capital of Wiltshire’s knife crime. Now we have another incident.

I have a few issues with this case, namely that the church yard of St James’ has been an open drinking den for years now.

The early hours of the morning that this was carried out must surely raise alarm bells, so taking both into account I was surprised to hear that the victim was able to stagger to our police station where officers were able to treat him?

Could they be better employed stopping the desecration of our church yards by these drinking gangs? A covert camera would reveal all required information and being a graveyard I can’t see anyone raising the privacy issue.

Really is time to get a grip. Drinking is heavily related to all types of crime and you won’t stop drinking from a police station.

We all know the areas concerned, but can only imagine why our otherwise fantastic police do little about it.

Mark Griffiths, Pavely Gardens

Dodgy fact check

I have asked Dr Murrison to explain the purposes of the fraudulent Factchecker Twitter account and the fraudulent Labour Party website set up as part of the Conservative Party election strategy. Dr Murrison has offered obfuscation and personal attack, but no explanation. In the absence of any explanation from Dr Murrison, it would appear necessary to accept the common sense understanding that these sites were set up to deliberately confuse the electorate.

Dr Murrison stated “we should be as straightforward as poss with voters”. Unfortunately this assertion needs to be treated with some scepticism given his refusal to comment upon, let alone condemn, his party strategy that has deliberately set out to confuse the electorate. Straightforwardness does not match with the fraudulent provision of false information?

John Powell, Trowbridge

Penury for many

Some people do not realise that the Government has no money, to raise capital it has to tax us and borrow from the financial markets to spend. At this time the country has a national debt of approx £1.8trillion and rising with annual borrowing costs of approx £44billion and rising to service that debt together with an annual deficit of approx £40billion to balance the Government finances. This last figure is borrowed money and is therefore added to the national debt. In addition, there are tens of billions of pounds already committed of extra borrowing to fund the PPI/PFI contracts for new hospitals and schools and student loans which do not appear in the Government finances. Despite years of ‘austerity’, these figures tell me that the country’s finances are still in a ‘dark place’.

At first sight the Labour Party Manifesto seems to be giving away something for nothing to most people but looking deeper it is soon realised that the huge spending detailed will have to be funded by us, the taxpayer, and Government borrowing. Water, energy, rail, bus, mail, broadband firms will be nationalised, 10% of company shares will be given to employees with windfall taxes taken from oil & gas producers. All these promises will no doubt cost far more than the £80+ billion stated. Huge rises in taxes and Government borrowing will be needed to fund this largesse. Much-needed business and consumer confidence will disappear, the cost of living will explode and bankruptcy will surely follow - penury for the many.

On the other side, the Tory Party Manifesto details spending of £16+ billion to be spent on the NHS etc and £22billion of extra long-term spending on projects including pothole repair, electric vehicle charging points, home insulation etc which is far more manageable and economically achievable thàn Labour’s plans but as they have promised not to increase the rates of income tax, VAT & NICS then indirect taxes and/or Government borrowing will have to be increased to pay for this extra spending.

At present, there are signs that the economy is taking a turn for the worse, if this happens Government revenue will reduce, the annual deficit will probably increase as will the national debt and with tens of billions of pounds of extra spending which will have to be borrowed and/or raised by increased taxes - probably, mainly the former - the monetary pressures will cause interest & inflation rates to rise and it will not be long before there will be a run on the pound sterling followed by a stock market collapse. The country would soon become bankrupt and the Government will then have to go ‘cap in hand’ to the International Monetary Fund for funding which will only be granted on acceptance by the Government of strict & onerous financial controls spread over many years - this action would hugely affect the living standards of everyone of us. Austerity? You ain’t seen nothing yet! This scenario is much more likely to happen under the Labour Party’s spending plans.

A strong Government is required to carry through the people’s vote for Brexit and then concentrate on the important matters that concern most of us - the alternative is further months of delay and uncertainty. I know who I shall vote for, do you?

Bob Griffiths, Shurnhold, Melksham