Letter to the I: Britain in Africa Letter

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown's opinion piece on Theresa May's refocusing on Africa was extremely short sighted.  Many parts of Africa are desperately in need of investment, so why should it not be us providing it as oppose to the Chinese?  Promoting a free market economies is not sinful, since this model has helped lift millions out of poverty already.  Many of those charities she cites as protesting have long done so because of bad economic advice from Marxist leaning economists.  Furthermore the focus of the Islamic State is now on Africa.  Africans much like us want to make a living and be free from terrorism.  So we should help them to that end.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Corruption in Prisons Letter

When Birmingham Prison was recently taken over by the Government from G4S, it was reported that this prison is awash with drugs and generally disorderly.  Leaving aside the legitimate question of why the government employs a company with an already terrible record, the staffing side should be looked at.  Surely a prison by nature has very few ways for the drugs to get in through?  So either the staff are insufficient in numbers or training in order to deal with the problem, or they are complicit in this situation.  Those who are in uniform should not be above scrutiny.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Your View: Republicans and the Queen Letter

My own heart sank when Bob Mountfort began "at heart I am a republican -  but".  If one is truly at heart a republican there is simply no "but", since you are either fully behind the cause or not.  Anything else is just patronising and demeaning to republican campaigners.  He believes the Queen has done well at her job and thus should be respected.  Thanks to the lobbying for her considerable private interests via the Queen and Prince's Consent Law, I do not see much to respect her for.  This lobbying by stealth shows she clearly does not respect me, so why should I respect her?

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Your View: British Military Power Letter

I take C Slight's point about the government exaggerating our military power, which is frankly embarrassing.    However both the right wing and the left wing have unrealistic expectations with regards to British military power.  The former accuses opponents of basically being traitors if they do not support a huge military budget.  The latter advertises pretty much any military spending as a betrayal of domestic needs.  Both approaches are frankly absurd and dishonest.  The right need to understand that certain domestic needs need to be addressed.  The left need to appreciate that a reduction in our military power will have big long term consequences.  Both need to invoke the spirit of PM David Llloyd-George who thought creatively to confound the guns vs butter question and deliver both.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Your View: Boris and Burkas

In contrast to the views of John L Davies, I do not admire Boris as a politician, or indeed as a person, who speaks his mind.  It is not brave or mature to judge people by appearance.  Yet this is exactly the kind of view Boris promoted in his comments about women in Burkas.  I hear much of the public supporting Boris saying that this is what they are thinking.  Well I think that they are shallow and wrong to judge someone by their appearance, rather than the content of their character.  Surely by the logic of this same group of the public, they should not be insulted, but consider this fair game?

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol

Letter to the I: Corbyn Letter

In contrast to Jane McLaren's letter I believe that Ian Birrell's article on Jeremy Corbyn was fine, and if anything it pulled it's punches.  I say this as someone who left what is called the Far Left of the political spectrum because of it's baggage.  It's baggage concerns showing "solidarity" with questionable groups or causes mainly because they are either not mainstream or anti-western.  But I think it's biggest baggage is ultimately anger at people and causes it does not understand or care to do so.  I am happy that today I am less angry and am more willing to listen.

Regards

Zachary Barker

Bristol