Lynn News letters July 1: Coeliac, Norfolk MP James Wild, politics and unions

His column last Friday was nothing short of blatant government spin on the current rail strikes and laying the blame at the door of militant Trade Unions in true Thatcher style, (which he probably learnt whilst gaining his degree in politics)

As a retired printer with more than enough experience of how trade unionism works, I take objection to him writing “ the unions’ instinct to use strikes as the first resort” is both insulting as well as showing his complete naivety in how industrial relations work.

A trade union represents their members and will negotiate as far as possible to achieve a working compromise between employers and employees for pay and conditions. It is only when intransigence is reached will they democratically ballot the membership (a show of hands in a car park has long gone) on whether strike action should be taken, and I can assure James Wild MP no one wants to go on strike; it’s no fun for anyone.

Sadly, because this Tory government is once again allowing inflation to run away with itself as they did in the late seventies and eighties, wage increases are actually pay cuts whilst at the same time working more anti social hours and accepting compulsory redundancies.

I don’t think rail workers will be the last group of employees forced to take drastic action in order to protect their livelihoods and families. We are probably just seeing the beginning of a summer of discontent.

Still as another famous Tory of that era (Norman Tebbit) once said, if you want to find work get on your bike. Because there won’t be any trains!

Ed Brownbill,

Pott Row

Ignorance on unions shown

James Wild MP displays a degree of ignorance when he accuses unions of using strikes as a first resort and of opposing reforms in the case of certain working practices.

Unions call strikes only when negotiations break down or are on the verge of doing so.Unions now and in the past recognise the need to change and improve working practices. After all it’s those who work in industry who best know this.If management and unions are allowed to freely negotiate it is often the union representatives who come up with the best ideas!

It was the Cameron/Osborne (Yes, and Clegg) Government’s imposition of harsh austerity which started the rot which saw the conditions of working people suffer badly and now, with Covid, Ukraine and inflation intervening, things have got dramatically worse.

The unions,as always, are there to safeguard and hopefully improve the pay and conditions of their members and, where possible, save jobs.

Whilst this Government says it stands clear of the dispute it does,in truth, not do so. If the parties were allowed to freely negotiate the sensible compromise Mr Wild and the rest of us hope for would be more quickly reached.

Dick Williams,

Chapel Street, King’s Lynn

POLL

Conservatives out of touch

We are delighted by the Liberal Democrats by election result in Tiverton and Honiton. The seat had been held by the Conservatives for 99 years and the Liberal Democrat victory has seen the biggest Conservative Party majority ever overturned in British political history.

It was a fantastic result for the Liberal Democrats with people responding positively to the party’s clear plans to deal with the cost of living crisis unlike the Government who have shown how out of touch they are and who think they can just do whatever they want without any consequences.

I am sorry to say that this is what we see at Norfolk County Council where the Conservatives are similarly dismissive of other people’s views and who rely on this failed government for funding and then use it to provide an inadequate cost of living scheme.

Brian Watkins,

Leader LibDem group, Norfolk County Council

What next after defeats?

Calamity! After two crucial votes this past week in Wakefield, Yorkshire, and, Tiverton and Honíton, Devon – what now for Alexander (the not so great), Boris Johnson?

These two votes at different ends of the country, had one thing in common – a referendum on the ‘conduct’, ‘honesty’, and, ‘integrity’ - of the Prime Minister.

Not surprisingly, voters found Bojo “guilty”. Returning a 12.7 per cent swing against him in Wakefield; with a remarkable 29.9 per cent swing against the him in Tiverton and Honiton. Humiliating.

The man regarded as a Conservative ‘vote winner’ – seems to have lost that trust of the electorate. Although the acid test is has the Prime Minister lost the confidence of his own Westminster MPs?

Fifteen Norfolk & Suffolk Conservative Members of Parliament, have just seen a 2019 majority of 24,239 overturned by the Liberal Democrats – must now be wondering about their future? What they had assumed was a ‘safe’ seat, is at best now a “marginal”.

Following this horrendous defeat, there was an honourable resignation of a Conservative Cabinet Minister: Oliver Dowden, Conservative Party chairman, who, stepped down, saying: “We can’t carry-on with business as usual, Somebody must take responsibility. And I have concluded that in these circumstances, it would not be right for me to remain in office.”

Analysis of the Devon result saw the biggest by-election defeat in British political history, in terms of the size of majority overturned,24,239. And it was the first Government to suffer the loss of two seats on the same day since John Major in 1991. Under Boris Johnson’s leadership, the Conservative voters have shown they are likely to ‘stay at home’ in future elections, and not vote for him, again! Meaning that once ‘true blue’ East Anglia will inevitably change. So what now for the Conservative Party of government. Is the party really over?

Jim Mitchell,

Carlton Colville

COELIAC DISEASE

Gluten threat in hospitals

With great sadness and frustration, I read recently about an inquest into the death of an 80-year-old with coeliac disease who was fed cereal containing gluten in hospital. The patient fell ill within hours and started to vomit. She died four days later from aspiration pneumonia.

As someone with coeliac disease myself, it is upsetting to realise that even among medical professionals there is such a lack of understanding of this serious autoimmune disease.

One in 100 people have coeliac disease, and there is no cure. The only treatment is a strict gluten free diet. Even a crumb of gluten can cause a severe reaction.

My own mother, who is 86, has had difficult experiences in hospital. She was offered toast containing gluten, which would have made her very unwell. Another time she was told she was ‘too late’ at 4pm for gluten free food. The hospital clearly regarded a gluten free diet as a specialist request, rather than a medical necessity that should be offered as part of standard care provisions.

At Coeliac UK, we are calling on all hospitals to urgently review their guidelines and protocols. We’re asking the NHS to update the information about coeliac disease on their website as the current list of symptoms is misleading. And we want to see better training for healthcare professionals to improve their understanding of coeliac disease, and their management of patients who have the condition.

No one with coeliac disease should have to worry about being glutened in hospital.

Maureen Burnside,

Chair, Coeliac UK

PICTURE

This was name of the beetle

Re the picture sent in by Rio Bright of an insect in Bright’s Wood, Tilney St Lawrence. The green beetle is a male Oedemera nobilis. It is a pollen eater. Only the male has the swollen legs. Great find.

Alistair Milner,

Nelson Street, King’s Lynn

ROCK N ROLL

Great to hear old guard

At last I can write a cheerful letter to Viewpoint in our troubled world without reference to politics or disputes.

As a throwback from the 60s I pay tribute to the Rock Aristocrats Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, still going strong six decades on with respective concerts at Glastonbury and Hyde Park.

They were once the scourge of the Establishment! Now they are the Establishment!

It was a happy trip down Memory Lane and the Beatles song We Can Work It Out bore a salient resonance with giving as opposed to those with entrenched positions.

As for the ageless Rolling Stones with 231 years between them it was Not Fade Away, as opposed to lesser mortals out of it with Exile On Main Street.

When the Stones had a hit with Get Off Of My Cloud all those years ago, 25th June 2022 evoked a vision of a silver lining.

David Fleming,

Paradise Court, Downham

TV

Casting call

Gordon Ramsay is bringing his successful US series Next Level Chef to ITV and producers are looking for chefs, home cooks and foodie influencers from West Norfolk to take part. The winner scoops mentorship and a £100,000 prize. To take part go online to www.nextlevelchef.co.uk. You must be over 18 and applications must be in by July 25.

Mel Walden,

Casting executive,

Studio Ramsay Global