People need to ‘stop and think’ before posting online in light of MP’s death

I FEEL urged to write this after the sad news of the barbaric death of MP Sir David Amess and the consequent media coverage of the current demands put on our politicians.

As a friend and colleague of Coun Peter McDonald, a local representative of my area for more than 35 years, I know how he and other councillors (of all persuasions) have to put up with unjustified carping by people remotely sitting behind their computer screens.

Since the advance of social media, it’s too easy to plonk away at the computer rather than pick a pen and paper up or phone or pop down to the polician’s surgery! However, when we do pop down to the surgery look what can happen!

The incident in Leigh-on-Sea has been reported as a terrorism incident, even by today’s standards, an extreme event but the question we all have to ask ourselves is how far do we take our criticism?

When it’s lacking respect and common decency, even though we do not agree, then that’s the time to stop.

When it’s picking on any trivial issue and skirting the important, it’s time to stop.

When its criticising the person’s attributes and not the decisions, it’s time to stop.

It’s time to stop and take stock.

In Peter McDonald’s case, my observations have come to the conclusion those who unjustifiably criticise do not know his track record.

They pounce on issues often not in the influence of the councillor or there are valid reasons for actions not to be taken.

I’m sure this is the case for all our councillors.

I have written in this column many times over the years and had interesting exchanges but always respecting each other.

Pointedly criticising yes, but not ‘slagging off’.

Those who use social media please just stop and think: ‘Am I saying the right thing?’ ‘Have I got my facts right?’

We now have two MPs killed in the process of their work – I hope this will be a wake up call to all of us.

Alan Cooper

Secretary, Rubery Labour Party

‘Referendum should be held to determine cashless car parks issue’

I AGREE with your correspondent ‘Blue Badge’ (Standard letters, October 15) on the issue of cashless car paring in Bromsgrove.

I too prefer to use coins and don’t really like the idea of an ‘app payment system’.

Birmingham City Council uses the ‘app payment system’ for its £8 clean air charge on non-compliant vehicles, normally registered before 2016.

There have been no end of problems in Birmingham and the impression I have is this type of payment system should be avoided.

The Royal Mint is dragging its feet introducing a £5 coin for general circulation – even though £20 today has more or less the same purchasing power as a £1 note in 1971 when petrol was 23.5 New Pence-a-gallon and the 50p coin the equivalent purchasing power to a £10 note today.

Having a cashless society is an excellent way for unsavoury governments are often economical with the economic truth – to hide inflation.

I respectfully propose a local referendum in Bromsgrove on ‘cashless parking’, improvements planned to the A38 and a proposed ‘Western Bypass’.

It is vital we the majority always carry the day and not a minority, which is often the case in neighbouring Birmingham.

John A Ridarta

Cofton Hackett

For the sake of golden oldies: ‘No, no no to cashless parking’

SHOULD we go cashless?

Please NO NO NO.

We golden oldies have so many things to contend with – health problems, vaccine jabs, cost of living rising at alarming rates to name just a few.

Please don’t make car parking more difficult.

Thank you.

A concerned Standard reader.

‘Bromsgrove needs to be more like Droitwich on car parking issue’

I TOTALLY agree with the letter written by ‘Blue Badge of Bromsgrove’ (Standard letters, Friday, October 15).

So is coinless parking being considered to save on employing people to empty the ticket machines or aimed at people who seem to depend entirely on smart phones for all their transactions?

What other reasons could there be?

I will certainly be reviewing where/when I use my card now that the contactless limit has been increased to £100.

If Bromsgrove District Council cannot operate in the same way as Droitwich, why can it not provide machines that give the choice to pay by card or coin as is the case in Worcester?

Bromsgrove resident

‘Health Secretary and Bromsgrove MP needs to act now on rising Covid rates’

CORONAVIRUS numbers are rocketing again – 602 per 100k in Bromsgrove, and even worse, 687 in somewhere similar – Lichfield.

The figures are the worst for months – it’s horrible and my wife and I are both worried, as we were expecting things to be better by now.

It’s odd since Birmingham only has half our number and another big city, Sheffield, is only 2/3 of our number, both below average – why are big cities much better and where we live awful?

We need answers!

I’ve written to Sajid Javid both as my MP and the Health Secretary in charge of the NHS to ask him to please act now and introduce further measures to improve matters, but whether he’ll do anything or not, I don’t know – apparently the Governement for some reason has said the time is not right!

Why?

Philip Cooper

Catshill

EDITOR’S COMMENT

THE KILLING of Sir David Amess on Friday has shocked everybody around the country.

It is clear something needs to be done to protect MPs at their weekly surgeries, such as a police presence – as there is at many other publicly accessible events.

What should not be done is restricting these important consultations to phone calls or online.

That would be a victory for those trying to destroy the proud democracy and freedoms we enjoy and have a right to.