Letters: Politicians must prioritise defence as the world grows more dangerous
SIR – How good to see two politicians – Ben Wallace (Comment, February 29) and Penny Mordaunt (report, February 29) – talking about the Government’s “first duty” being to protect Britain.
These days, every conversation I have with family and friends eventually gets around to our worries – and, indeed, fears – about the prospect of conflict and the ability of our diminished Armed Forces to deal with it.
Mr Wallace is correct: this definitely should be a general election issue.
Grant Haworth
Farnham, Surrey
SIR – The Chancellor must take note of the concerns of Ben Wallace and Penny Mordaunt. Crossing fingers and hoping for the best is not a good option.
There are very long lead times in securing defence equipment, recruiting and training personnel, and if we are suddenly faced with a direct threat to our security, problems in these areas cannot be fixed at the drop of a hat. Increasing defence spending would also send a clear message to our enemies.
If the Conservatives will commit to a significant real-terms increase, I suggest that many disaffected Tory voters would return to the fold.
Finally, can we please have Penny Mordaunt as the next leader of the Conservative Party? She speaks more sense than many of her colleagues put together.
Peter Higgins
West Wickham, Kent
SIR – I totally agree with Ben Wallace that 3 per cent of GDP will be needed to prepare the Armed Forces for the challenge ahead.
I also sympathise with his frustration that the observations of people like me – the “armchair admirals” – may not always reflect the changing environment.
However, the underlying intent of almost all of the comment from the retired military community is to reinforce the profile on defence matters.
I am sure I speak for many of my fellow retired officers when I say how appreciative we were of Mr Wallace’s determination and leadership as defence secretary, in particular his role in supporting Ukraine and galvanising Nato.
Brigadier Rod Brummitt (retd)
Bournemouth, Dorset
SIR – Last week I received a pamphlet from a local gentleman who intends to stand for Parliament at the next election.
It encourages me to tick the boxes of the issues that concern me, such as the NHS, potholes and local hospitals, and to return it to him.
There is no box to tick concerning defence of the realm, so I conclude it is not a concern.
He is the Green Party candidate.
Gp Capt T Eeles (retd)
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Taxing non-doms
SIR – The Government is showing just how out of tune it is with a globalised economy when it considers scrapping its non-dom tax arrangements (report, February 29).
If it believes that non-dom taxpayers will be willing to part with 45 per cent of their global income in order to continue to benefit from the United Kingdom’s smooth roads, low crime rates, well-policed borders, social stability and perfect healthcare system, it is seriously mistaken. Rather, non-doms will simply board their business jets and depart.
Most non-doms already have property and residency rights elsewhere, in jurisdictions with favourable taxation rates. They will simply inform HMRC that, with immediate effect, they are no longer UK residents and, therefore, no longer UK taxpayers. The net result will be a considerable loss of tax revenue to the Treasury, coupled with a further decline in UK output and investment.
Politicians may be astonished to learn that, for very wealthy and globally mobile individuals, paying tax is to all intents and purposes optional. If the Government provides a globally competitive tax environment, it will find that it collects more tax in absolute terms and the UK will do much better as a result. This has been demonstrated over many years by jurisdictions including Switzerland and Singapore, which understand the long-term economic benefits of establishing and maintaining such a tax environment, which also represents reasonable value for money in terms of functional and efficient public services.
Will Curtis
Managing director
London Oxford Airport
Kidlington, Oxfordshire
SIR – Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, is considering ditching the exemptions from tax on the overseas income and assets of non-domiciled UK residents, which could drive many taxpaying millionaires out.
One welcome change, which would also encourage non-doms to remain, would be to abolish inheritance tax, so that their worldwide assets would be safe from the UK Treasury. It might also tempt back many Tory voters.
Michael Staples
Seaford, East Sussex
Black-only theatre
SIR – Can you imagine the outcry if a theatre only allowed white people to attend a performance (“West End play stages shows to all-black audience ‘free from the white gaze’”, report, February 29)?
Elayne M Benjamin
London NW4
SIR – It is not just at the theatre that prices have changed (Letters, February 29). At the World Cup in 1966 my cousin had two season tickets for all seven of the matches at Wembley, including the final. The pair cost £15 in total. They were good seats. He let me and my brother watch the match between Portugal and Russia.
While there, I witnessed a tout selling four tickets for the final for a total of £25. At the time, I thought that an outrageous price.
Trevor Watts
West Chiltington, West Sussex
Shippam’s shock
SIR – I have followed the letters on Shippam’s paste with interest. I too enjoyed it – until the day my father went on a works trip to the factory.
I don’t know what he saw there but, sadly, we were never allowed to eat it again.
Glynis Ludkin
Thornton-le-Dale, North Yorkshire
Dazzled on the road
SIR – Two more things that regularly dazzle other drivers (Letters, February 29) are the automatic dipping function, which often doesn’t react until it directly faces the approaching car, and the low-mounted spotlight that comes on and turns with the steering to illuminate a junction or sharp corner.
Another problem is the dazzle caused by brake lights when you stop behind a vehicle at a junction and the driver is too incompetent or lazy to apply the handbrake, so sits with a foot planted firmly on the brake pedal.
Ian Anderson
Wick, Gloucestershire
Reithian Radio 3
SIR – Anyone reading Ben Lawrence’s selective overview of the new Radio 3 schedule (“Why does Radio 3 hate your mum?”, Arts, February 29) would be forgiven for believing the narrative that the station is no longer Reithian in its approach. The reality could not be further from the truth.
In a few weeks’ time, we will broadcast The Land Without Music? – a major new programme looking at the state of classical music in this country. This will be followed by a series marking 25 years of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, a remarkable ensemble that comprises musicians from both Israel and Palestine. The press release Mr Lawrence refers to also makes clear our commitment to festivals, from Huddersfield to Aldeburgh; our new, nightly celebration of jazz; and speech programmes covering everything from botany to the Vikings.
The assertion that Radio 3 is run by “middlebrow marketeers” does not stand up to scrutiny. Nor does the suggestion that “your mum” is not welcome. Whether it’s a live concert from Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, cutting-edge contemporary works on the New Music Show, or an exclusive interview with Daniel Barenboim, there are plenty of reasons for mothers – and many others – to enjoy Radio 3.
Sam Jackson
Controller, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms
London W1
Non-festive sprouts
SIR – I am intrigued: just what does Lesley Thompson do with a “usual order of 4kg of sprouts” (Letters, February 29)?
I could understand in December or at Christmas, with family visits to consider. But now?
Heather Erridge
Bleadon, Somerset
Watertight guidance for using an umbrella
SIR – I was greatly reassured by the online description for an umbrella I recently bought: “Specific uses for product: Rain”.
David Askew
Woking, Surrey
SIR – The rating of the film Mary Poppins has been raised from Universal to Parental Guidance because of the use of the word Hottentot (report, February 27).
I would have thought that a far more pressing reason for raising the rating would have been that it shows Mary Poppins flying while holding an umbrella. Surely this encourages children, thinking they too can fly, to jump off buildings while holding one – with disastrous results.
Guy Williams
Nailsworth, Gloucestershire
The Renters Reform Bill is a backwards step
SIR– The introduction of the assured shorthold tenancy under the terms of the 1988 Housing Act was arguably one of the most effective pieces of post-war legislation. By deregulating rent controls, it significantly increased the quantity and quality of rental accommodation on the market.
Market forces and the price mechanism meant that rents remained fair for tenants and landlords alike – until government policy became anti-landlord. It is no surprise that the supply of rental properties has fallen.
The Renters Reform Bill (report, February 29) will be the last straw for many landlords. It is quite simply a reintroduction of rent controls – something we know does not work and will only serve to push rents higher.
The Government needs to think again – and urgently.
Nigel Hindle
Tytherington, Wiltshire
SIR – Madeline Grant (Comment, February 28) rightly points out the faults with leasehold flats and houses.But why does no one ever mention Right to Manage?
Our block of flats took out Right to Manage in 2011 and we have saved thousands of pounds in insurance and costs. We can take charge of appointing builders, organising repairs and arranging insurance if we need to. We do have a managing agent who handles our money on our behalf, but we are still in control of our costs.
The latest problem is that insurance companies and brokers are adding administration charges on top of their commission, which are getting out of proportion to the actual bill.
I would advise as many leaseholders as possible to go for Right to Manage and take control of their properties.
Lesley Watson
Southport, Lancashire
Letters to the Editor
We accept letters by email and post. Please include name, address, work and home telephone numbers.
ADDRESS: 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT
EMAIL: dtletters@telegraph.co.uk
FOLLOW: Telegraph Letters on Twitter @LettersDesk
NEWSLETTER: sign up to receive Letters to the Editor here
