Your views: Plagiarism, small boats and why one reader backs Farage

PICTURE FROM THE PAST: This poignant picture captures miners at Madeley Wood colliery, also known as Kemberton Pit, during its final shift before the pit closed in 1967. The photograph was shared by Rob Ford, whose late father Jim Ford is seventh down the line. Jim began his working life at Kemberton before moving on to Granville colliery and later Lea Hall colliery in Rugeley, where he worked until retiring at 55. A fascinating glimpse of Madeley’s mining heritage. Do you recognise anyone else in the picture? | Shropshire Star archive

placeholder image — PICTURE FROM THE PAST: This poignant picture captures miners at Madeley Wood colliery, also known as Kemberton Pit, during its final shift before the pit closed in 1967. The photograph was shared by Rob Ford, whose late father Jim Ford is seventh down the line. Jim began his working life at Kemberton before moving on to Granville colliery and later Lea Hall colliery in Rugeley, where he worked until retiring at 55. A fascinating glimpse of Madeley’s mining heritage. Do you recognise anyone else in the picture? | Shropshire Star archive

Readers share their views on plagiarism, small boats and Nigel Farage

Every one of us is a plagiarist

Quite a few years ago I was chatting to an old school acquaintance I shall call Charles. An eccentric, as many of us are, he told me he had resigned from college.

He had been given an assignment, and as it was an identical subject to many previous years assignments, handed in someone's essay from the previous year. Not a copy, the essay itself, red ink and all!

When questioned he said he couldn't see the problem as a large majority of all the students did exactly the same thing but took the trouble to copy it out by hand. Charles considered this a total waste of time, paper and ink! At this point he left the establishment. Unfortunately he died at far too young an age.

Now we have a university professor who has died because of accusations of plagiarism and the huge amounts of pressure from the university, the press and many others.

Now Charles was a very intelligent man who was perfectly capable of writing his own essay, but chose instead to point out the huge faults in the system of the time and sadly of the present.

Every single person could be accused of plagiarism. Reading and using other people's studies is an essential part of all research plus, of course, your own thoughts and conclusions. Jason Arday was well liked and worked hard at his work and life. Due to the the persistent and unrelenting attacks from all sides he is now no longer with us. Who is to blame?

While your thinking about that, bear in mind that plank of wood in your own eye!

Ian Dyer, West Midlands

Andy needs to sort boats issue

It's nice to hear that our new unelected Prime Minister is trying to solve the problem of the illegal boat crossings by dispersing them to more affluent areas.

Really? That's going to solve the problem for sure. Andy that is not the answer. How about not letting them land in the first place and deporting those here already? There is absolutely no deterrent to put them off coming to soft touch Britain. Most of them are single young men looking for a better life not families in need.

This situation has gone on far too long now. Sort it Andy. Now!

Carol Owens, West Midlands

Farage is the man we need

What the assertions in the hour-long Channel 5 documentary 'Nigel Farage: Where Does the Money Come From?' demonstrate is that he is just the exceptionally talented, multi-faceted, successful political leader that our country so desperately needs. Compared with the legalistically hide-bound Starmer and the 'popularity Jack' from Makerfield there is no contest as to which has the ability and the steely determination to arrest our nation's declining fortunes.

The feigned outrage over the £5m gifted to him by Christopher Harborne illustrates the lengths that the establishment will go to in their attempts to take Nigel down.

Had it been public money at stake there would undoubtedly have been a case to answer, but it clearly isn't .

Christopher Gill, Bridgnorth

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