Your View: Green Aviation Letter

I fear Michael Jefford may be too hasty in proposing that the £10 billion tax subsidy to the aviation industry be axed.  I believe instead the answer lies in making that subsidy conditional on companies within that industry investing their money into researching and building more fuel efficient or alternative powered planes.  With Airbus doubting it's future in our country, we have every reason to give plane companies a reason to feel driven and feel inspired.  With the President of the US seemingly uninterested in the potential of a green industrial revolution, why should we not fill the gap?

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Your View: James Comey Letter

The former FBI Director James Comey's interview revealed what an honest man of integrity he is.  I believe it is unfair that members of the western intelligence community have little time for him, due to him making political points.  Since the US security establishment cannot take political positions to counter the attacks that their own President is directing at them, they may be pleased to have a former insider as their defender.  I sense US Republican voters are secretly more embarrassed at the unflattering personal portrait Comey's book painted of their President.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Letter to the I: Boris Johnson Letter

Boris Johnson is probably the most high profile, and least convincing, fair weather environmentalist around at the moment.  While he waxes lyrical about the environmental issues with regards to the proposed third runway for Heathrow, he proposes instead to tarmac over habitats in the Thames Estuary for an airport.  At the same time he does his best to get fired from his job as Foreign Secretary by undermining his boss.  In a country with a productivity crisis would it not be a radical suggestion to have a cabinet member who actually does their job?

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Letter to the I: UN Security Council Football Team

I liked Andrew Bayley's idea of having a United Nations football team and suggest a modest modification.  Since it is impractical to have 193 members of a football team, which is the membership of the UN, I suggest having a UN Security Council football team.  The 15 members would be a lot easier to fit into modern football.  The most interesting feature if that the Permanent Five members will be able to veto any action the team can potentially make if they don't like it.  If this results in the team not taking sufficient action to stave off disaster, like it does in real life, surely that will encourage public debate for reform of the council?

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Letter to the I: BBC Question Time

Mark Wallace's article about BBC Question Time was frankly odd and disingenuous.  He seems to largely blame the audience for apparent "cynicism" that exists in Question Time's political discourse.  As the editor of Conservative Home he glaringly overlooked the less than inspiring contributions of Government Ministers to the programme.  They seem incapable of answering questions and seem to treat the audience with contempt, hardly encouraging constructive dialogue.  He talks about getting politics out of "bubbles" and making it more open through social media.  On the contrary you can find no more dysfunctional and terrifying political discussion bubbles than Facebook groups.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Letter to the I: Brexit Dividend

Further to Tim Flinn's letter I acknowledge his expertise in "no-brainer" proposals, given his backing of Theresa May's hollow NHS funding pledge.  The pledge to put EU "savings" back into the NHS means nothing if we experience economic turbulence due to our government's continued cavalier attitude to customs arrangements and the Northern Irish border issue.  May knows this deep down, hence why she has talked about tax rises.  In many ways she has learned well from Trump who has recently put the financial bill for infrastructure spending on the US taxpayer.  She wants to build a wall against the British public's dissatisfaction, and make us pay for it.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Letter to the I: Brexit and Immigration

I find it astounding that so many critics of immigration, by sheer coincidence, seem to have had a road to Damascus moment and have become green-minded too.  They use such issues to hide the fact that they simply don't like living next to foreigners.  I follow Philip Wait's questions to the i with 2 for him.  Who is going to help us build the housing we need if we do not have migrants? Why isn't he as concerned about family planning as much as he is about migration? 

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Letter to the I: Trump is right

Donald Trump is right about one thing; Europe needs to spend more on defence.  Germany in particular is paralysed in defence matters by post-war guilt and political interests that want to appease Russia.  It is true that if Europe took up more of the defence burden the US could spend less on it.  However Trump's previous conduct does not suggest that he wants to spend defence savings on building healthcare or education.  Most likely he wants more tax giveaways for his rich friends.  He has said the right thing for the wrong reasons.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Letter to the I: Trump's Visit Letter

I take Derek Williams' point that there are legitimate grounds to protest US President Donald J Trump's upcoming state visit.  However given what we know about the man's character, I do wonder whether such a protest will feed his victim complex which in turn feeds his narcissistic personality.  What really bothers Trump, according to his former adversary ex-FBI Director James Comey, is to have his world view challenged in person.  Of course in order for that to happen we would need a government that won't sell out our values for a trade deal.  Fancy that!

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Letter to the I: Bill Clinton Letter

Neil Westhead's trite commentary on Bill Clinton's literary career overlooks his political accomplishments.  It is a shame and it is unfair that the Clinton Administration was portrayed mainly in the light of scandal.  The Clinton Administration's considerable achievements included; a budget surplus, a booming economy, intervention against genocide and an assault weapons ban.  Under the current administration the US faces national debt, a trade war, cosy deals with strongmen and unrestrained gun violence.  I guess we never know what we have until it's gone.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Your View: Ukraine Journalist Letter

A firm correction needs to be made on Mary Dejevsky's article; Russia cannot "take the moral high ground".  Her entire article grasped at straws, trying in vain to make the Russian sponsored war against Ukraine and their intervention in Syria sound less bad than the journalist Arkady Babchenko faking his assassination.  There is no comparison.  Her white wash of Russia's crimes ignores the more disturbing story.  A European country is being invaded by it's neighbour.  And while this is happening journalists such as Dejevsky and too many of the British public are looking for an excuse to look away.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol