Readers' letters - June 10

Ever since I was a boy, I have loved watching aircraft.

In my early years, I watched the Canberra aircraft bank over the Lancashire hills, flying to and from the English Electric manufacturing plant.

Time moved on and there came the development of the TSR 2, a brilliantly designed aircraft set to replace the ageing Vulcan bomber in the cold war era.

What happened? The UK Government ran out of money for the project.

Australia rejected the aircraft in favour of the cheaper F111 subsidised by large orders from the USAF.

The realisation soon came that, as a country, the UK could not afford to develop military aircraft on its own and we needed multi-national co-operation.

The Tornado was developed with German and Italian partners, and what a superb aircraft it is. Following this, with additional partners, came the Typhoon, another brilliant aircraft.

In the civilian aircraft field, the Airbus series of passenger jets have been developed and this, in my lifetime, has probably been the most successful industrial project ever.

An additional benefit has been to Rolls Royce, working alongside Airbus, developing engines with the right power and economy. These products lead the world in the technology.

Projects such as these could have only come to fruition with European co-operation and tariff-free movement of goods and materials.

I simply cannot believe that Brexit campaigners want to throw this away. I can only think that they have little knowledge of manufacturing and what can be achieved by collaborative working.

Hundreds of thousands of well-paid jobs depend on these projects, and these ill-informed enthusiasts for European division are driving the UK further into manufacturing oblivion.

For these reasons and others, the Remain option in the forthcoming referendum is by far the most convincing.

Mr GW Collinge
Address supplied


cold calling

Ways to stop nuisance


I read the article by Alex Neill regarding cold callers (WEP June 8). With my phone, I can block these numbers, so they don’t even ring.

Also, my phone has ‘Phone Guardian’ which asks the caller (if they are not in my phone book) to identify themselves. Obviously, if computer generated, no identification is possible, otherwise I can speak to the person and then allow future calls from them.

This obviously makes for a peaceful environment. However, some of the numbers, when shown, are fictitious. I find that ‘cold calling’ also applies with my email address.

Happyman

via email


community

Thinking of the carers

6.5 million people in the UK care, unpaid, for a disabled, older or ill family member or friend. Whilst caring can be rewarding, it can also take a serious toll on a carer’s health, relationships and finances.

This Carers Week, we want to highlight the importance of Carer Friendly Communities – places where people and services do what they can to make life a little bit easier for carers. We’re asking people to recommend organisations, services and employers who are carer-friendly, and to invite other organisations to use our checklist to commit to becoming carer-friendly. Visit www.carersweek.org

Emily Holzhausen

Carers Week