Readers' letters

Women and children are being slaughtered in Aleppo; we are about to get a maniac in charge of the nuclear button in the United States; we already have a maniac in charge of the nuclear button in Russia; the United Kingdom has a Foreign Secretary called Boris; and our national newspaper headlines are all about a football manager who 
can’t keep his hands in his pockets!

It is an old adage that we get the Press that we deserve, and that has a certain amount of truth in it but surely, as a country, we really need to get our priorities sorted out and apply our resolve and resources to bringing peace to Syria and the eastern end of the Mediterranean, rather than being concerned about a sport which has an over-inflated opinion of its importance.

We should support the example of the Brazilian Olympics in bringing the nations of the world together, to enjoy the pleasure of competing with others to achieve physical excellence and, by this, realise and understand that sport can cross political and religious boundaries to show us all how to get on together in this world.

Paul Emsley

Address supplied

european union

Economic fears ahead

There have been two reports in the last week that should give us pause for thought.

The Bank for International Settlements (banker to the world’s central bankers and one of the few to warn of the 2008 financial crisis) has issued a report expressing serious concerns about the world economy next year, especially in the context 
of China’s slowing growth 
and excessive reliance on credit.

Another report, from the Jacques Delors Institute, tells us what we already know, that the euro will not survive the next financial crisis unless it undergoes urgent reform, including sharing of risk and sovereignty.

Even if there was the political will to make those reforms, it would be many years before they could be implemented.

Lord King, the former Governor of the Bank of England, previously said that the euro must be split into two, if it is to survive, and that is probably the only feasible measure that could be taken urgently.

With the risks of inaction being so great, where are the international statesmen and women prepared to stand up and read the riot act to the EU?

Thomas W 
Jefferson

via email

politics

Fresh air

I feel like I’ve been breathing toxic fumes for decades but last week I got a breath of fresh air. Jeremy Corbyn’s speech, which ended the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, was both inspiring and sincere.

He is an honest politician in a world of spin and he will get my vote at the next general election. To those who say he is “unelectable”, I look forward to the day they are eating their words. Fairness and integrity are making a return to politics, thank goodness.

Steven Moss via email

football

‘Greedy Sam’


Sam Allardyce. It shows how greedy some people are.

He blames everyone else. He only has himself to blame for not being satisfied.

Jayne Grayson

via email