Readers' letters - April 10

For the past 12 months, Theresa May has presided over a disastrous election, an inept party conference and disastrous Brexit negotiations culminating in a transition period which maintains our status quo in the EU. Allowing the EU to continue fishing in our waters is unacceptable and a crushing blow to our fishing communities.As a weak and ineffective PM, she has not only allowed the EU to dominate the Brexit negotiations but she does not seem to have any control over her cabinet. Boris Johnson continues to talk a load of codswallop. No doubt Russia were involved in the ‘Salisbury poisonings’ but comparing Putin/Russia to the Nazis was stupid - Russia lost 20,000,000 people and without the Red Army the outcome of the Second World War could have been different.As for Amber Rudd, she should be sacked immediately. Giving a foreign company the passport contract is an absolute disgrace. This is a massive kick in the teeth for British companies. EU rules state that governments should not favour domestic companies but the French, German, Spanish and Italians produce their own passports citing national security. Are the rules different for us?The EU’s support relating to the ‘Salisbury poisonings’ is merely a soupcon looking ahead to the continuing Brexit negotiations in which they will undoubtedly favour a deal to suit themselves.By the way, I don’t think Putin will be losing any sleep over Theresa May or the EU. When are the Tories going to ditch this PM before she causes any more damage?R Hemingwayvia email

Majority in favour of move I have just read your article in the Saturday March 31 edition of the Wigan Post,regarding the formation of WWL Solutions by Wrightington ,Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust.Your article is very much written with the national Unison policy approach and does not contain all the facts for the formation of WWL Solutions.It is true that Unison nationally are against the formation.But local union representatives who work for the Trust are in favour of Solutions and see this as a way of protecting people’s jobs and generating an income for the Trust.The first Trust to form a subsidiary company was Gateshead in the North East, three years later, the Trust have a bigger budget because of the income generation of the subsidiary company.They employ more people, not less, and the staff satisfaction survey results are higher than when staff worked for the Foundation Trust.I am one of the Trust staff who is due to transfer to WWL Solutions when formed. You indicate that 82% of staff have rejected the formation of WWL Solutions. This is not the case, around 900 members of staff are due to transfer. Unison only speak for a small minority of members.The 82% is a figure for the members who voted, a large number of Unison members did not vote.You touched on a internal email sent out this week by the Trust board being inflammatory and indicating job losses were possible.The email set out the facts around Solutions as some staff members are spreading rumours that are factually incorrect. The article indicted that the Trust are in a deficit on current budget and if nothing was to be done the position would worsen next year.All Trusts are monitored nationally and at other Trusts were NHS Monitor have been involved, departments have been closed, car parking fees increased ect.One or two sections of the workforce are against the formation of Solution,but the majority are for the formation . The part of the organisation I work for all members are in favour of the WWL Solutions, seeing this as a way of securing both the short-term and long-term welfare of the trust, staff members and Wigan borough public. The Trust has indicated staff transferring into the Solutions will have their NHS terms and conditions protected for the full 25-year contract signed with Solutions,they will get all national pay awards,they will have their terms and condition protected if they move jobs within Solutions and their NHS pension will be protected.I look forward to your next article written being more balanced and factually correct, speaking for all staff and not just a small number of staff who are attached to Unison. It is the minority of staff who are against the formation of Solutions,the majority see this as a positive move,protecting jobs and services for the people of Wigan and Leigh.A member of WWL who will transfer to Solutionsaddress supplied