Let’s have a referendum on death penalty

WITH a General Election looming and Theresa May hinting at the possibility of cancelling the unnecessary and money voracious HS2 high speed rail link, could she hold a referendum on two very contentious issues?

Firstly the huge amounts of money being poured into foreign aid, while being very laudable, could be reduced until Britain is in a position whereby its massive debts are settled and cancellations of domestic issues will no longer be necessary.

Please remember the old adage, Mrs May, charity begins at home.

Secondly, since the abolition of capital punishment the murder rates in this country are of such astronomical proportions they rarely warrant much more than a small item tucked away in the middle-pages of newspapers and rarely get reported on TV or radio.

Unless they are particularly gruesome.

Why should the murder rates be so high?

Because the perpetrators know, when they are found guilty, they will spend a few years being well looked-after in prison then released.

Their victims are still dead.

Therefore the second referendum should be on whether capital punishment, for murder and not manslaughter, should be brought back.

Why should people who commit manslaughter be exempt from capital punishment?

Because manslaughter could be a case of self-defence and not planned therefore it would have been an involuntary act.

I could be wrong in my suggestions for a referendum on the above and may be shot down in flames for suggesting such.

What do other readers think?

Philip Roe, via email

Well done Jeremy, you’ve outdone Foot

GOOD old Labour.

In 1983, Michael Foot’s manifesto was considered to be the longest political suicide note in history.

Not to be outdone, it appears Jeremy Corbyn is devising one to better it.

Announcing their policy for the defence of the realm they intend to retain our strategic nuclear deterrent but state it would never be used.

On hearing this news, the leaders in Russia, Iran and North Korea all dashed to the medicine cabinet in need of sedation.

On finance, they propose to create a National Trading Bank with capital of £500 billion to invest.

No explanation as to where this vast sum of money is to be obtained or at what cost.

Perhaps they still think it grows on trees.

When the so-called rich have been bled to death, the banks they nationalised gone bust, all the multi-national wealth creation moved abroad, can Labour tell us who will then provide the money needed to fund the NHS, benefits, pensions etc.

It beggars belief that some people seriously consider Corbyn and co to be fit to run this country, for were they to do so within months life in Greece would be Utopia compared to here.

Peter Rothwell, via email

Cycle lanes were blocked

LIVING near enough to town to walk just about anywhere I need to go or use the bus for farther journeys, I have not had to use a cycle for four or five years.

On a recent Bank Holiday, with the buses being irregular, I decided to cycle up to see my friend Don.

I was expecting to use the cycle lanes around Blackburn, but what a disappointment.

Cars parked fully or partly in the lanes, cars parked on the paths so near to the road that their wing mirrors force you to ride outside of the cycle lanes.

What’s the point of these lanes if you can’t ride within their boundaries?

Cycle lanes, what cycle lanes?

Joe Hadfield, Blackburn