Women, Winning and Cameron's Tories

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NEWS YOUR SAY CITY BUZZ NOSTALGIA GIVING BACK LEEDS RECOMMENDS SIX OF THE BESTMORE

Women, winning and Cameron's Tories

Published: 14:40 Friday 16 December 2005

Being opposed to political correctness, i am disgusted that David Cameron has embraced it within weeks of taking over as leader of the Tory party.

His proposals for an A-list of candidates comprising 50 per cent of women and a good quantity of ethnic minorities is ridiculous and should be opposed by local associations, we do not want central oﬃce meddling with local decisions.

The conservative party selected, elected and supported the ﬁrst female leader, who of course became the longest serving 20th century prime minister – what further proof is needed that the mechanisms are already in place for good women and ethnic minority candidates PROVIDING they are the best.

Positive discrimination does not work and should be avoided.

If these proposals are put in place to reduce white, middle class men, as parliamentary candidates, may I suggest the Witney Conservative association take a lead and ditch their current MP in preference to one oﬀ the A-List and do us all a favour.

Andrew Wilkinson, Cardigan Road, Headingley, Leeds

As a Conservative Party member, I am excited that David Cameron chose Leeds to give his ﬁrst major speech, telling us that he has identiﬁed, and intends to solve, a fundamental failing of the Party.

Up to now, Parliamentary Candidate selection has been in the hands of the few members of local Conservative Associations who bother to turn up and they (with some creditable exceptions) know what they want– a candidate who is middle-class, middle-aged, white and male.

When David Cameron's new selection process is in place, then at last talented candidates of both sexes, all social classes, all ethnic groups and all ages will wear a blue rosette.

Expect Labour seats to fall like ninepins!

Mrs Elaine Grogan, Fosse Way, Garforth, Leeds

A wonderful time in theatre Wonderland

On Saturday December 3, I was lucky enough to go and see Alice in Wonderland at West Yorkshire Playhouse.

I won a competition in the Yorkshire Evening Post and it was a great performance and all the actors and actresses were brilliant and the costumes were great.

I spoke to the director who told us there were 37 scene changes. He told us to enjoy the show.

The singing and dancing had everybody clapping in their seats.

Everyone had a lovely time. The cast took a bow at the end and there were lots of cheers for Alice and the cast.

I had a lovely time. Thank you.

DANNIELLE BAKER (age 11), Fearnville Road, Leeds

I went to the Playhouse expecting to see an array of talented actors and I saw just that – as well as brilliant singers and amazing special eﬀects.

In a packed theatre, Alice grew big and small and travelled miles on one stage.

The scenery was fantastic and objects rising out of the ﬂoor made it even more magical. The costume designers really made the play spectacular. I really loved the special eﬀects of the garden and the seemingly endless rows of trees.

The queen with her amazing voice and impressive dress added humour to the croquet game and her famous catchphrase "Oﬀ with her head" was turned up.

There was one disappointment though. Tweedledum and Tweedledee did not make an appearance. I missed them.

LUCY CHESELDINE (age 14), Woodlea Gardens, Meanwood, Leeds

Hospital food that ended in the waste bucket

Regarding hospital food: where do these so-called experts get their statistics?

I was admitted to Leeds General Inﬁrmary in May suﬀering from a heart attack. After two weeks of treatment I was moved up to Chapel Allerton to learn how to walk again.

The food wasn't too bad in the LGI and certainly edible, but Chapel Allerton was terrible. I wasn't the only patient to complain: all the women, eight of us, did. We had to depend on visitors to keep us alive.

While I was there I was so ill I caught the hateful bug and had to be barrier nursed. All in all, I was in hospital for three months. I went in weighing 11 stone, lost one-and-a-half stone, and came out looking and feeling terrible.

The trouble seems to be that all the cooking is done at Seacroft then brought up to most hospitals and reheated in very tiny kitchens. The ward maids then wait with cold plates for the servers to do their bit and then it goes on to a cold trolley. If people in charge could see how much went in the waste bucket, they would have a ﬁt.

MRS WINIFRED DOUGLAS, Hyde Park, Leeds

Pavilion pledge to bowls players

I am writing in response to the reader who wrote of his concern over the future of the Woodhouse Bowling Green (Letters, December 5). Firstly I would like to say how saddened I am by the disbanding of the Bowls Club, especially because work is under way to restore the bowls pavilion in the very near future. I would be happy to hear of anyone interested in forming a new club that could put such an investment to good use.

The bowling green is, of course, open to all members of the public and we have sought to ensure that it is accessible to all. Having said that, the driving of vehicles in a public park clearly has some health and safety implications for pedestrians and other park users and must be limited as much as possible. To this end we have fenced oﬀ most of the park to prevent access and are currently working towards increasing parking provision oﬀ Rampart Road.

We are always willing to allow exemptions to the no-cars rule, particularly for disabled users of the bowling green, as we appreciate how important such a hobby can be to those whose mobility is otherwise restricted. This was an arrangement we had with the former bowls club and one we would be willing to renew with any new club.

I hope that this has put your readers' minds at rest and I would invite them to contact me should he want to go into the matter further.

Coun John Procter, Executive member for Leisure, Leeds City Council

As the city council is obviously not interested in the continuance of bowling on Woodhouse Moor, I suggest that the greens be converted into "pay" car parks. The university next door, with 35,000 students, would ensure a constant ﬂow of cash which would beneﬁt all council tax payers.

Drawback in bid to revive coal

In a recent letter in the YEP, Mr Dean Lawson makes the case for coal as a major supplier of the country's future energy needs, using replacement, clean coal-ﬁred power stations.

Not a bad idea. But if the existing independent power companies were to invest in such a massive rebuilding of power stations such as Ferrybridge, Eggborough etc., they will still reserve the right to buy imported coal from all points abroad, at a much cheaper price than can be mined locally. Likewise, my home is fast ﬁlling up with items 'made in China' instead of the British Isles!

John McGuinness, e-mail, Leeds

Anti-smoking hypocrites

Patricia Hewitt does not know what she is talking about – telling people how to run their lives.

Her and the government are hypocrites because they never complained when they were getting tax from all cigarettes. They will be the losers if people stop smoking.

Thousands will lose their jobs and then they will have to ﬁnd other ways to get their tax money.

I am nearly 70 years old and a smoker, which I enjoy.

MRS BETTY DUFFY, Hawkswood Crescent, Leeds

A great party

May I please thank the teachers and pupils of Mount St Mary's High School for the wonderful party they gave the senior citizens on December 8.

A great time was had by all. Everyone received a present and a bag of goodies. Thank you once again and God bless you one and all.

MRS BERNADETTE JACKSON, Chapel Allerton, Leeds

Thanks...

Guide Dogs for the Blind would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and to give special thanks to all those who kindly contributed when we held our collection in Leeds city centre on Saturday December 10. We raised a total of 1,365.45 which will go towards providing guide dogs within our area.

THELMA WILSON, Events Organiser (Volunteer), Drighlington

ALAN NORRIS, Leeds

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