Readers' letters - February 21

Is this justice? I noted there was a challenge at the Royal Courts of Justice in January of this year to the established formula for deciding the costs landlords/investment companies can charge property owners for extending their leases or selling the freehold titles to them which they hold.This leaseholder of a property in London wanted to extend his lease, the freeholder wanted to charge them £420,000. The leaseholder lost their case with the Lord Justices deciding in favour of the freeholder.This judgement continues to keep the cash door open for the investment companies, which have snapped up leasehold and freehold titles for the sole purpose of making money from the property owners if they try to purchase them in the future. It would be interesting to know what kind of criteria the Justices used in determining their judgement. This case gave an opportunity for some kind of reasonable method of calculation to be recommended to curb the excesses of investment companies.The judgement will have implications for any property owners in future.They will have to pay the extortionate charges demanded by these companies or go down the costly route of an appeal.So, if in future any property owners wishing to purchase these items wonder why they are so expensive, they should blame the Lady and Lord Justices of the Royal Courts of Justice. So much for justice – what justice?Syd Bullenvia emailWorkers, don’t rely on the EUCould someone please enlighten me why union leaders want a soft Brexit, or no Brexit, in order to protect their members’ jobs etc?Not just Unite’s Len McCluskey, but now Scottish union leader and Sturgeon friend Grahame Smith is at it, bleating on about saving Scottish jobs. What do their members pay subs for? Just to allow these leaders to do no more than spout from behind a desk and rely on the EU? It’s time they got organised, as in the past, instead of hoping that the EU will bail them out. Maybe it’s too much to ask their members to down tools in order to protect their jobs, unlike the railwaymen who are prepared to do just that to protect their jobs and wages. They, unlike McCluskey and Smith, don’t have to be tied to the coat tails of the EU ‘bully boys’ to achieve this.You laughed at Scargill when he put his neck on the block when fighting for his members’ jobs – other union leaders shunned him, as did the EU. Some union leaders even helped Thatcher in smashing through picket lines and in totally destroying our coal industry, communities and jobs. They got their peerage for doing just that. You’re not laughing now, are you? Just bleating for help from the non-elected undemocratic ‘bully boys’ of the EU. The penny will drop eventually in that you get nothing from the elitist establishment without a fight. It has always been like that and always will be. By the way, Germany and Poland etc, are still mining coal, but maybe not for long?Terry PalmerAddress suppliedNew handbook can really help

I am writing to tell you about a new handbook, entitled Me and My Brain, that has recently been launched by The Children’s Trust for teenagers affected by brain injury. Being a teenager can be a difficult time with lots of change and decisions to be made. For teenagers with a brain injury, these difficulties can be heightened. Me and My Brain has been written with the help of young people affected by the condition, as well as health professionals who specialise in childhood brain injury. It provides advice and guidance on key topics such as bullying, driving, alcohol and education, alongside real life experiences from teenagers. The handbook is also recommended for family members, teachers, carers or colleagues, providing a detailed explanation of brain injury and how the disability, which is often described as hidden, can affect young people’s day to day lives. Me and My Brain is a free resource and can be ordered from www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/handbook Every year 40,000 children in the UK are left with a brain injury as a result of an accident or illness and many have to live with ongoing, long-term difficulties. We hope this handbook will be able to help some of these young people through what is often a very difficult time. Maria CoyleInformation Manager at The Children’s Trust