Readers' letters - January 13

In the run-up to the referendum, David Cameron made it clear that his renegotiations with the EU had freed the UK from “ever closer union”.

That claim was repeated in the taxpayer-funded-Remain propaganda booklet sent to every household: “The UK will not be part of further European political integration.”

It came together with the recommendation to vote Remain.

The UK has never been in the euro nor been part of the Schengen borderless agreement. Mr Cameron negotiated us out of “ever closer union”. The most fundamental pillar left was the EU’s Single Market. Inevitably that means by voting Leave we were voting to leave the Single Market. Even the Remain campaign agreed that before the vote. Unwilling to accept democracy, the Remainers now want to overturn the referendum result by agitating for us to stay in the Single Market.

They think they can con us into giving up our new-found liberty for their illusory promise of wealth. We will not accept the Remain side’s fake Leave, and it does appear that Theresa May is beginning to get that.

Nick Martinek

via email


health

Be aware of asbestos

When you pick up a paint brush or drill into a wall, the last thing you would expect is that you could be risking your life. But that is the reality if you haven’t had your home checked for asbestos.

We carried out research that revealed almost half of would-be decorators are unconcerned about the health risks – despite asbestos being widely used in housebuilding up until the 1980s.

Asbestos is most dangerous when it is moved or disturbed, but 45 per cent would happily drill into walls and 49 per cent would remove tiles, wallpaper or plaster.

Shockingly only six per cent of people have carried out an asbestos survey on their home

Breathing in the microscopic fibres released by asbestos can lead to a range of illnesses, the most serious of which is mesothelioma, an incurable and aggressive form of cancer which typically takes decades to manifest itself.

With more and more people turning their hand to DIY, it’s important they know the risks and take all possible precautions to protect themselves.

Having your home properly checked for asbestos is a simple measure to safeguard the health of you and your family and could even save your life.

Dominic Smith

Industrial Disease lawyer at Slater and Gordon

american politics

Vision in the age of Trump

As we await the inauguration of the 45th President of 
the USA, it is an appropriate time to look back and 
ponder.

Our world is, once again, ruled by pygmies.

Politicians who know and understand nothing, with the courage to do little.

As our world cries out for leadership and deliverance, we get more mediocrity.

Yet in adversity we 
have always found a 
saviour.

In 1933, America elected a President who understood how the world worked.

If you do not understand where we are, but care about where we are going, read that speech.

It is relevant today as ever, because “when there is 
no vision the people will perish”.

Robert Reynolds

Address supplied