'Anyone found to be carrying a knife should be severely punished' - Your Letters: February 3

The last government and this government have failed to eliminate knife crime. We now have The Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying he’s going to sort it. He proposes to ban people including youngsters from purchasing these type of knives on line. He just doesn’t get it. This won’t stop them from buying knives. They will always find a way. The government are just skirting around the problem and not facing it head on.

I’ve said this many times in the past that the only way to stop this is to give the police the powers to stop and search any teenager walking the streets after 5 o’clock on a night.

Now in order to be able to carry this out is to stop the human rights brigade and the do-gooders from stopping this.

This is the only way to stop this. Anyone who is found to be carrying a knife should be severely punished. The Star newspaper has said enough is enough to this latest stabbing, but the people are also saying enough is enough.

Our MPs are elected to support their constituents so let us see them doing their jobs that they are paid well for.

Bob Whitehouse, West Midlands

EMISSIONS GOAL WAS JUST HUBRIS

In 2017, Theresa May made the controversial decision to enshrine the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 into law. This decision was an act of hubris, especially considering the lack of support from technological innovation and the absence of a clear understanding of the associated costs and who would bear them.

For many, the concept of net zero has become almost religious, pursued with a fervour that ignores the perspectives of those affected by its implications. If we value democracy, we cannot operate in this way. For people to accept any change, they must be able to assess how it will impact every aspect of their lives. They need to understand what will be required of them, by when, and what the financial, time, and effort costs will be.

Unfortunately, this essential information has not been provided. Instead, the debate has been treated as a high-level exercise, with the Conference of the Parties (COP) making annual emissions commitments without a clear plan for how to achieve them, nor any authority to compel member states to take action.

In our pursuit of net zero in the West, we have effectively outsourced production to China. While our emissions may have decreased, global emissions have not; they have simply shifted alongside jobs. The consequence has been damage to our economy, with a greater productive capacity ending up in Beijing. Currently, as Donald Trump has pointed out, the West is harming itself. Refusing to exploit existing gas and oil supplies amounts to economic sabotage. Trump has vowed not to travel that way, the UK must follow his lead.

Martin Bristow, West Midlands

GIVE MONEY TO FORGOTTEN REGION

Chancellor Reeves' 'growth' speech makes the familiar error of ignoring most of the country whilst believing that investment only works in the South.

Unlocking the enormous potential in those areas like the West Midlands and the surrounding Shire counties is overlooked in favour of cash-guzzling projects like the third runway for Heathrow that will emulate HS2 in its ability to starve other regions of investment while sucking in more and more of your money.

The kind of investment projects needed in our region that would, for example, enhance connectivity and provide a transport infrastructure that would facilitate access to jobs, retail, education, training, tourism and leisure is, by comparison with East-West rail and the third runway at Heathrow, miniscule. Furthermore, it can be gained quickly with people and businesses feeling the benefits.

It would also help cut carbon emissions as people would have an attractive alternative to the car.

Instead, any hoped-for change in thinking has quickly evaporated as, in the forgotten towns of Shropshire, and other regions, we are braced for more cuts.

Mike Crump, Bridgnorth

MYSTERY OF OLD PICTURE SOLVED

After seeing Lena Holmes’ photo from the archives in the January 24 edition, I think you will find that it's a snap of Coven village in Staffordshire, as that is where I was brought up. I know this as the outbuilding on the left used to house the village cobblers, the black and white building was Proudley’s Farm. I think this photo was from the 70s.

I hope this helps.

M Lanchbury, Telford

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