Reply to Kamran

When the Liberal Democrats, who he represents, campaigned for an ‘in-out’ referendum on the EU and said we should respect the verdict, they didn’t say it was conditional on people agreeing with them.

I campaigned day in day out for us to stay in the EU – to protect jobs, for our standing in the world and to keep us safe. But people voted to leave. And they did so in the belief that the result would be respected. That is what my vote to trigger Article 50 was about earlier this month. I didn’t want to gamble with our membership of the EU in the first place. Mr Hussein’s Party did. Now the result isn’t as they expected, they want to overturn it. My priority now is to make sure the people of Sheffield get what they have been promised – more money for the NHS, trade with the EU that gives us the “exact same benefits” as we have currently (as pledged by the Government’s Brexit Secretary), no weakening of workers’ rights, funding for our universities that are so vital to our city, and much more besides.

Instead of re-running the arguments of the referendum, I am fighting the Tory Government in Parliament for the things that matter to my constituents. I am making sure Sheffielders’ voices are heard in the most important negotiations about this country’s future in a generation.

Paul Blomfield MP

by email

No help for anything

I have just received my pension increase and could have wept.

When the increase comes for council tax I will be worse off again.

So to the politicians that say cancel the triple lock I say why can’t we have the same increase as politicians? Why do we have to pay for a load of rich old hasbeens in the House of Lords and a load of self-serving politicians in the House of Commons?

We pay full council tax and get no help for anything.

PH Siddall

Fairburn Gardens, Brinsworth

Great job at Pitsmoor

I just want to highlight the great job the staff and children are doing at Pitsmoor adventure playground.

After the council stopped funding for the playground the community came together and leased it from the council. It is going from strength to strength.

They do events such as fire safety, teaching the kids how to cross the road properly, even looking after the surrounding areas by litter picking .

The kids have raised money for new equipment for the playground by doing bag packing at Tesco on Savile Street as well as other stuff.

There are hundreds of kids there through the week but the staff always welcome more with open arms.

Some days it needs volunteers to get jobs done like grass cutting and painting. This community has really come together.

People wonder why kids are at home on computers instead of out playing, it’s because there isn’t anywhere for them to go.

I was lucky, I had a youth club to go to when I was a kid, with some of the best people in the business and I truly believe they would still be doing the job they loved if it wasn’t for the council.

Simon Barnett

by email

BBC wheel him out

Does Ian Duncan Smith have a contract with the BBC?

If not, why do they wheel him out every time someone questions the vote for Brexit?

As far as I know, he has no official Government position.

He is usually introduced as the “former leader of the Tory Party” and we all recall what a disaster he was.

Duncan-Smith has spent most of his political career campaigning against the result of the 1975 referendum.

Now “the people have spoken” in the way he wanted to hear he feels emboldened to rubbish anyone who challenges the result of the vote.

He once warned us not to underestimate the “quiet man”.

It’s a pity that he has now found his voice.

Paul Kenny

S3

Take time to read 1984

May I offer a brief response to PG’s letter, (February 23), concerning the demonising of Terry Palmer.

Please take the time to read 1984.

You appear to believe that Mr Palmer has never indulged in abuse of those whose political views run contrary to his own.

I can only assume that you have either a highly selective memory or have only seen a very limited selection of his correspondence.

I was going to comment on the suggestion that Tony Blair and Lord Mandelson have joined ranks with Mr Palmer’s detractors but as I am unable to decide whether this should come under the heading of hysterical or ludicrous I have decided to pass.

I will however say that I think it unlikely that it is Mr Palmers’ efforts that have caused their unwanted return to the political arena.

Stephen Crowther

Greystones

Escaped kestrel

I was out looking for the resident kestrel in Shirebrook Valley when I come across the one pictured above.

The first sighting she flew away,

I then came across an old guy with a whistle.

He was the owner and told me she escaped two days ago. I never got his name or number.

I then walked on and 30 minutes later come across her again, so I raised my arm and did a whistle and she started to hop along posts to come to me, getting within 10 feet and it looked like she was coming to my arm, but then the other resident wild kestrel spotted her and swooped down to attack.

The last shot I got was of them locked in battle and vanished in to the tree line.

If anyone knows the owner, who I think lives in Woodhouse, let him know and I can point out the spot she was in and time, or if you’re walking, watch out for her she’s easy to spot as she has bells on her legs.

Simon Dell

by email

No more of this twaddle

When an person begins an argument with the mention of our “unelected Prime Minister” I immediately think the argument is going to be a bit dim and extremely biased.

Of course this is not always the way, but the damage in my mind has been done by the use of that phrase.

To put the record straight:

No PM is ever elected by UK Voters.

Voters select a member of Parliament to represent their constituency.

The MPs from each party decide on a leader.

A PM is the leader of the party that has the majority of MPs in the House of Commons and is appointed by the Queen.

Please let us hear no more of this twaddle.

Terry Tiller

Kelham Island