Your Letters: December 12

This year we have witnessed history being made outside Number 10.

Honestly, I'm not sure which sticks in my mind most.

Was it Rishi in the rain or Keir's Kristmas?

A difficult one but last night Kier made a brave attempt in his switching on the lights adorning the No 10 Christmas tree.

Watched by at least half a dozen overpaid staff in Downing Street and I guess the Number 10 cat, Keir reduced the Christmas excitement to minus levels only exceeded by his personal rating.

Still, he must have been really relieved that in the quiet of the night, his lights did not fuse as has been the case with his every other involvement since becoming Prime Minister.

Alan M Etheridge, Sedgley

WE WILL SEE YOU DOWN SWANEE

My chum Chatbot and I were admiring the effectiveness of the flood barriers erected in Coleham Head, Shrewsbury in redirecting the ‘liquid-gold’ deposited by Storm Darragh downstream to share with others. 

Over the years it seems that the privatisation of the water utilities have paid out ‘billions in bonuses’ to shareholders, increased the customers’ annual water charges and dumped effluent into our waterways.

Never one to miss a ‘trick in the book or inflate the balance sheet’ Chatbot suggested a Flood-to-Fortune Initiative starting with a new ‘subsidiary’ called Aquirewealth Ltd. The company will invent Watery Real Estate selling ‘future flood trading’. A new cryptocurrency called the FloodCoin will be used to replace soggy carpets and submerged furniture. All our customers will benefit from our promises as we work to the highest ethical and business principles.

And of course, we will sell you down the Swanee as well.

Roger Norton, Shrewsbury

ANIMAL TESTING ACTION DEMAND

None of us wants to live in a house of horrors, but the ingredients that go into everyday household products, like paint, grout and varnish have been tested on restrained animals in UK laboratories.

It’s nearly 10 years since the UK ‘banned’ testing household products on animals; but the ban is easy to get around and flout.

Prior to being elected, Labour announced that they'd phase out animal testing. I've read reports of Starmer at non animal research units, and MPs with second readings of their PM bills in Parliament, but I'm not seeing much more action than that to progress this promise.

If you think it's wrong to test household items and chemicals on animals; then ask friends and family to pressure politicians to act, into giving the household product testing ‘ban’ a makeover and end animal testing for everyday household items.

Please ask Labour to immediately remove loopholes that permit the testing of household ingredients on animals where there is no regulatory requirement and ban the sale of finished household products tested on animals elsewhere in the world within the UK. Add other products commonly used in the home and garden to the ban, including disinfectants and weed killers.

Ask Labour to set a deadline for ending all chemical ingredient testing on animals, like they said they would.

The animals would say thank you if they had a voice.

Helen Taylor, Malvern

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