Readers' letters - March 10

I’m beginning to wonder if Paul Nuttall blames immigrants and the EU for the recent bad weather, judging by his recent letter to this newspaper.

This time, he’s blaming them for companies paying people the lowest rate for work that they can get away with.

The EU has delivered for working people, through a guaranteed entitlement to paid annual leave and more reasonable working hours, sickness rights, parental leave, fairness for part-time, temporary and agency workers and protection from discrimination and negligent bosses.

By contrast, the UK Government’s only attempt to support workers has been a perversely low minimum wage which has failed spectacularly at keeping up with executive pay and rising prices.

This is being replaced by George Osborne’s so-called ‘living wage’, which is unworthy of the name as long as it still fails to keep up with household bills, and will still leave workers relying on the in-work benefits that Brexit campaigner Iain Duncan Smith wants to cut.

The actions of the UK Government show that Brexit will only benefit the bankers and the bosses.

Paul Nuttall knows fine well that a vote to leave will bring more power to the City of London than the Citizens of the UK.

However, a vote to Remain will promote safety, fairness and solidarity for workers from Wigan to Warsaw, from Leigh to Lisbon and from Ashton to Athens.

That’s a vision for the UK and Europe that I’m proud to support.

Will Patterson

Chairman

Wigan & Leigh 
Green Party

politics

What matters is what I think


In the forthcoming referendum, it really doesn’t matter what any MP thinks or how he votes.

If all the alleged movers and shakers voted in one particular way, it wouldn’t – to borrow an expression from the Americans – amount to a hill of beans.

This is one of those rare occasions when it’s what we, the people, want that counts. It is we, not our sometime friends in high places, who will decide what will happen to our country. I couldn’t care tuppence what David Cameron wants, or what Boris Johnson wants. And certainly not what the leaders of industry or trade unions want. They will vote in their own interests, but their votes do not count for any more than mine. What matters to me is what I want.

Hugh Rogers via email

POLITICS

Too much about Boris

The media attention being lavished on Boris Johnson is inadequate. Surely, we are deprived of daily bulletins on what he had for breakfast, what hair gel he uses and indeed what his favourite deodorant is. All this information could help inform our decision on the EU referendum – by at least as much as anything he says.

Colin Challen

Address supplied

POLITICS

Your decision

Politicians, VIPs and captains of industry are all showboating their opinions, designed to influence the ordinary citizens ahead of the EU vote. Make up your own mind, they are looking after their own and not thinking about you.

DS via email