SIR – The Prime Minister’s announcement final week of £75 billion in new defence funding (“Battle footing as Sunak ramps up defence spending”, report, April 24) was welcome, if overdue. The British voters now has a transparent alternative on whether or not to place defence of the realm on the prime of its priorities. Nonetheless, Con Coughlin (Remark, April 25) was proper to focus on the pressing want for a complete defence evaluation. A stability should be restored between machines and manpower, towards a transparent political assertion of what the Authorities desires.
This evaluation must also present the UK armaments business with satisfactory assurance of the continuity of orders. Due account should be taken of the fast technological advances now being made in army gear, which can finally allow wise economies to be made in each manpower and weapon stockpiles.
Lastly, any evaluation ought to embody the applicability to the UK, and affordability, of an “Iron Dome” idea of air defence (Remark, April 21) much like Israel’s.
Air Commodore Michael Allisstone
Sidlesham, West Sussex
SIR – Since Britain invested in Polaris and its descendants, certainly an Iron Dome has been pointless. A submarine-launched British missile – which might be indistinguishable from an American one – would set off a counterattack on the higher US menace. Whether or not led by Joe Biden or Donald Trump, the US can stop a British launch and the inevitable Russian response towards it solely by defending the UK.
Maybe our senior politicians misunderstand the true foundation of the particular relationship.
Dr Andy Ashworth
Bo’ness, West Lothian
SIR – Janet Daley’s evaluation (Remark, April 21) of what has introduced us to the brink of nuclear catastrophe seems on the unholy alliance of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. After all, as soon as these uneasy bedfellows have safely dispatched the free world, they’ll inevitably activate one another.
Within the meantime, these totalitarian regimes have a standard denominator, and it’s not the worry of assault or invasion from an aggressive neighbour, nevertheless disingenuous their rhetoric could also be. Quite, it’s the worry of regime change attributable to their very own populations seeing how a free and democratic system can present a greater life. The success of such neighbouring nations – or, certainly, these on the opposite facet of the world – is anathema to totalitarian regimes. Thus, for China, Hong Kong was insupportable and, having handled that downside, Taiwan will inevitably come subsequent. For Russia, it’s Ukraine, and for Iran it’s Israel, the place girls and LGBT individuals are in a position to lead such totally different lives. And in what may virtually be a laboratory experiment, historical past has proven us what the totally different paths taken by North and South Korea have achieved for his or her populations.
The response of the West can’t be additional appeasement. We should defend our freedoms by collectively offering well timed, agency and sturdy help to these nations which are unable to defend themselves. Allow us to hope that by this motion, and the message it sends, we are able to avert future aggression and the disaster we should in any other case worry.
Simon Chalwin
Sedgehill, Wiltshire
SIR – Studying, virtually each day, the feedback from earlier defence ministers and repair chiefs concerning the necessity of a coherent plan for our Armed Forces, I’m reminded of the recommendation given to one among my sons at Sandhurst some years in the past.
He was in a command appointment and tasked with defending a not too long ago gained location towards an imminent counterattack. His color sergeant whispered: “You want a plan, Sir, one that everybody understands. Might I remind you, Sir, that hoping for one of the best isn’t a plan?” That recommendation nonetheless stands.
Main Malcolm Wallace (retd)
Stoke Albany, Leicestershire
Reform UK’s future
SIR – Daniel Hannan’s suggestion that Reform UK’s obvious success is merely a mirage (Remark, April 21) might, to some extent, be true. However is that any totally different to the success of Labour or the Tory celebration? What number of of their options have failed, but have been paid for by taxpayers?
What we do know is that each are tax-and-spend events, and neither is ready to significantly problem the welfare largesse inspired in the course of the pandemic, simply as neither was ready to significantly query the knowledge of lockdown. The result’s a inhabitants spoon-fed on taxpayer-funded welfare, which it now expects with no consideration.
We now, basically, have two Left-wing events eager to outdo one another within the persevering with provision of taxpayer-funded generosity, and Reform UK, which is ready to take a severe have a look at welfare and tax.
It might be a mirage to Mr Hannan, however to me, and thousands and thousands like me, it’s at the moment the one wise possibility.
Arthur Smith
Grappenhall, Cheshire
SIR – I don’t disagree with Daniel Hannan that Reform UK has no prospect of workplace, however I don’t agree {that a} vote for the celebration is wasted.
After a lifetime of voting Conservative (aside from a quick interval of voting for the Brexit Occasion) I will likely be voting Reform subsequent time.
I wish to see the Conservative Occasion obliterated on the subsequent election. There’ll then observe 10 years of Labour incompetence, which is able to destroy them. This may go away room for a brand new celebration and the nation will stand an opportunity of returning to a wise authorities that implements what most individuals need and imagine is true, as an alternative of giving lip service to it.
Ken Webb
Bardsey, West Yorkshire
A pre-wedding celebration that gained’t break the financial institution
SIR – Studying Patricia Canneva’s letter about extravagant stag and hen weekends overseas, adopted by a pricey overseas wedding ceremony April 17), I wish to add that pre-wedding events may be native and cheap.
My fiancée and I had a “hag” night time. The city we lived in had six venues, so everybody met up in our common hang-out. The stags then went in a clockwise path, whereas the hens went anti-clockwise. All of us met up for a drink in the midst of the night and completed collectively in the identical place by which we began.
As we had been each nearing 40 on the time and most of our associates had been {couples} with youngsters, this labored properly for all of us.
Rob Williamson
Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire
Prisoner recruitment
SIR – I totally concur with Rosemary Corbin’s skilled evaluation concerning the potential for ex-prisoners to serve in our Armed Forces (Letters, April 21).
I commanded a horse artillery battery in Germany in the course of the Chilly Battle. On relinquishing command, my religion within the skill and dedication of my officers and NCOs was such that, had we been allowed to go to any jail and recruit gunners from the youthful inmates, then with three years of coaching we may have achieved the identical commonplace of success.
Our penal system wastes the lives of so many who, with applicable management and instance, may thrive.
Mike Anderson
Bathpool, Cornwall
Mobiles in museums
SIR – Final yr, my daughter-in-law visited the Banksy exhibition on the Gallery of Fashionable Artwork in Glasgow. Banksy’s directions had been that cellphones had been to be barred (Letters, April 21) to ensure that guests stayed “within the second”.
The exhibition attracted document numbers of holiday makers – about 180,000 over the 10-week interval. Museums elsewhere within the nation ought to observe its instance.
Mary Marshall
Ilkley, West Yorkshire
EV possession
SIR – I wish to appropriate some potential misconceptions about EVs that Douglas Clerk launched in his letter (April 21).
First, discovering an EV charging level appropriate for a Jaguar I-Tempo is way from the problem that he suggests. The I-Tempo costs at 85kW when the battery stage is between 10 and 80 per cent, and solely often peaks at 104kW. A fast search of any good EV charging app exhibits that the UK highway community is peppered with appropriate factors, with many dozens in cities and cities (together with Blairgowrie, which he mentions). The identical app will inform the driving force if the charger is working, whether it is suitable with their automotive, and whether or not it’s at the moment in use.
I’d additionally like so as to add clarification to his remark that the very best charge-rate supplied works solely on 800V vehicles. This might give the impression that solely 800V EVs can use these chargers, which isn’t the case. Any automotive outfitted with a mixed charging system can use them.
The identical applies to his remark that vehicles that work on 800V “require” twice the charge-rate supplied. They’re nonetheless totally suitable with lower-rate chargers – the I-Tempo, for example, will cost from 10 to 80 per cent in about 45 minutes on a 100kW charger.
Lastly, I reject the suggestion that EV charging-point producers ought to retire the fast-charging system for battery electrical autos (CHAdeMO), connectors utilized by drivers of the Nissan Leaf and others. Such drivers had been the pioneers of EV motoring within the UK. Hundreds of those vehicles are nonetheless on the highway and so they shouldn’t be rendered out of date by a short-sighted transfer akin to this. As and after they do turn into uneconomical to serve, the charging factors can simply be transformed to the extra frequent mixed charging system commonplace.
I actually drive a Renault Zoe. I recurrently, and simply, cowl distances of 180 miles and solely must cease to cost for so long as it takes to seize some lunch. In different phrases, precisely the identical period of time that I used to cease for with my outdated combustion-engined automotive. Proudly owning an EV is way from the irritating and disappointing expertise Mr Clerk suggests.
Andy Matheson
Hampstead Norreys, Berkshire
SIR – It’s now apparent that the sale of EVs has stalled on this nation. Whereas total numbers could also be rising slowly, that is more likely to be on account of fleet house owners changing autos frequently, whereas private gross sales are declining.
These autos will finally make their approach by to the second-hand market, the place they are going to be unsaleable. A petroleum or diesel automotive that’s recurrently serviced will comfortably lengthen its life in extra of 100,000 miles. How lengthy will a battery final, notably one that’s uneconomical to exchange?
Resulting from Ulez, vehicles will quickly be a uncommon sight in our cities, and people dwelling in nation areas the place a automotive is crucial will definitely not be shopping for EVs. This inevitable evolution will pose a monumental downside for the motor commerce. As soon as once more, enforcement is resulting in unintended penalties.
George Kelly
Buckingham
Lardy-loving listeners
SIR – My mom performed Mrs Luscombe in On the Luscombes, one of many first radio soaps, which ran from 1948 for 18 years. Mrs Luscombe was famed for her lardy cake (Letters, April 21) – a lot so, {that a} recipe needed to be discovered to ship out to all of the listeners who wrote in requesting it.
Harriet Robinson
Chillerton, Isle of Wight
SIR – Within the Nineteen Fifties, my mom and grandmother would take my siblings and me on a day journey by prepare from Bristol to Weston-super-Mare. Once we arrived, my mom would purchase a big lardy cake and we’d go to the Winter Gardens, the place we might every be given a thickly buttered slice. What a deal with it was, although I don’t suppose the well being police would enable it now.
Rob Dorrell
Combe Down, Somerset
SIR – Deb Soutar’s letter (April 21), extolling the virtues of the Aberdeen Buttery, jogged my memory of after I as soon as breakfasted with very upper-crust associates in Dundee. Reaching for a superb Fisher & Donaldson buttery, I loaded it with the home-made marmalade that was on supply. There was a shocked silence, but it surely tasted heavenly. Fairly what their expressions would have been had they served kippers, I do know not: I like these with marmalade too.
Gregory Morris
Penymynydd, Flintshire
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