I welcome the decision by the government not to provide support for the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership because this would have in effect been supporting BAE Systems.

I am aware that BAE is a major employer in the north west of England at a time when jobs are scarce.

In fact it is their proud boast that 70% of the manufacturing jobs in the Ribble Valley are provided by them.

However, the harsh fact is that BAE Systems is a major producer of devastating means of destruction – fighter jets and parts for nuclear submarines to name but two. By exporting their weapons, BAE provides other countries with the means to wage war and so we are directly escalating worldwide destruction. I agree with politicians who have said recently that Britain is sick and broken. However, Britain produces huge amounts of deadly weapons and other means of destruction for export to other countries.

While we in Britain feel safe when an aeroplane passes overhead, people in other countries live in fear that they might be bombed – by weapons that have been produced in Britain. This makes me ashamed. We certainly need more manufacturing jobs for Hyndburn. We need our local politicians to use their influence to bring jobs to the area that will produce useful products with peaceful purposes.

This will help to build a more sustainable and ethically-sound society and make us proud to be British.

Joan West, Great Harwood.