YEP Letters: April 23

Let’s do what we can to help bees

P Clayden, Leeds 9

IN response to your feature about bees - three years running I have had bees in my loft. I phoned someone to come and take away the hive and the reply was: “I’m not climbing a ladder for a few bees.”

In the summer there can be as many as 60 to 70. I phoned someone else and the reply was: “I will kill them for £50.” I said no-one’s allowed to kill honey bees, the reply was: “Rubbish.” I telephoned the council to be told that there’s a fine of £1,000 for killing bees if caught.

Bees need trees, flowers and plants to pollinate, so we should do all that we can to help. Bees do not attack, only if threatened.

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Say yes to Europe but no to European Union

John Roberts, Wakefield

THANK you to B Johnston (YEP Letters, 16 April) for spelling out with such clarity the Brexit position.

It is interesting to observe that the people who have hope and enthusiasm for the future are in the leave group. The remain position are on the defensive, wheeling out spurious red herring economic arguments to defend their status quo. It will take more than a smooth talking expensively produced booklet through our letterbox to convince me (and many others) of the validity and credibility of the stay campaign.

The likes of Paddy Ashdown and Neil Kinnock (and family) let us not forget have a large personal vested interest in remaining with the EU. Ignore their siren calls.

Recent tragic events in Paris and Brussels have demonstrated quite clearly that the EU is not the bulwark of security against terrorism and assaults on citizens. It is actually NATO which has provided more protection. What good did the close proximity of the EU do during the horrendous Balkan crisis in the 90s? They tell us that we are making a step in the dark if we leave. Equally, to remain is a step into the dark unknown. It is only because we have become so accustomed to the EU that we think there is no alternative.

Many of the social achievements of the EU such as with work conditions and wages could just as easily have been achieved by a committed national government.

I am proud to be part of European culture and civilisation, not some little Englander. Britain is a major part of this civilisation.

The EU is past its use-by date. Europe: yes. EU: no. And there is a difference, a huge one.