06-04-2025
'Let's set the record straight on tariffs'- letter
Setting the record straight on tariffs THE insanity continues at full speed, no handbrake. POTUS (itself a deeply weird term) and pals have decided that we aren't buying their goods because we are nasty.
Let's set the record straight. We do not buy American cars because they are too large for our roads and they burn too much fuel. Our continent is working to address climate change while the US Government is committed to doing the opposite. Musk's Tesla used to be an exception but he has now gone to the dark side.
Conversely, cars from Europe (and elsewhere) sell well in the US because many Americans prefer smaller and more economical cars.
The solution. The American car industry needs to build cars people want to buy. End of story. Attempting to fix thing with 60 per cent tariffs on Madagascar is just nuts. Similarly with food, imagining Europeans reject US beef out of jealousy because American cows are more 'beautiful' than European cows is barking. We have food standards and animal welfare standards, not designed to ban US products but to protect consumers, animals and the environment.
If the US government spent more time improving standards they'd have access to European markets. It's really not complicated POTUS. Christian Vassie Blake Court, Wheldrake, York A song for Labour?
ARE there any budding song writers and musicians who could write and compose a new theme song for the Labour party?
Hopefully this could be sung in a duet with the singers being Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves.
The title could be something that is close to the Labour party's heart: The Saga of the 22 billion pound black hole.
Let's face it, the subject comes up every time a Labour MP is faced with the TV cameras.
All royalties to be paid to Rachel Reeves to see how quick she can make a mess of those as she has with the do you think?
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How you can help St Leonard's Hospice
IF you love gardening, could you grow and pot a few extra plants this spring to donate to St Leonard's Hospice?
All plant donations will be sold at our annual plant sale, which takes place this year on Sunday, May 11, from 11am to 2pm at the hospice on Tadcaster Road.
All spare plants and seedlings would be gratefully received and would help raise money for us to continue our care when people need it most.
We welcome plants of all types - bedding plants, house plants, vegetable plants, small shrubs - indeed, anything that grows!
It would be much appreciated if you could label the plants before dropping them to us closer to the sale date. We will also be holding a cake stall on the day and if you would be in a position to donate any homemade baked goods we would much appreciate it.
Please could you label them with ingredients.
All proceeds from the sale go towards our work of providing care and support for people with life-limiting illness and their families.
If you have plants or homemade cakes to offer, please phone 01904 777 777 or email fundraising@
Money for nothing
IT is always upsetting when one hears news of a conglomerate worth £8.3 billion, having an annual turnover of £400 million, that is somehow unable to raise a measly £1.4 million to carry out repairs on the church of St Michael Le Belfrey in York that it owns.
Times are hard all round but hopefully with donations and subscriptions by government and the public alike, this church can be repaired and then left to rot for another few hundred years.
