Dear Editor,

You could not make it up!

Our Labour Government betraying the national interest not once but twice in a week.

First came the handover of British fishing grounds to vessels from EU member states to plunder, for 12 years, no less

Then, taxpayers get a bill for £100 million annually for the Chagos Islands - British sovereign territory - given away in an act of monumental self-harm.

Such dodgy deals are doubtless practice runs for offering up the Falkland Islands and Northern Ireland next.

Anything is possible with Labour.

What is certain is, that not putting Britain first is part of Labour’s DNA.

C Penney

Wellington

Dear Editor,

It has been regularly reported in the local and national press that there are serious shortages of dentists and pharmacists, along with other medical professionals.

It would be correct to say that the UK has not been training sufficient people within these disciplines for some time; and especially for the last 15 years. To a certain extent, this shortfall could be alleviated by using personnel from outside of the country. But the decision for the UK to leave the EU most certainly made the situation worse. The simple answer would be to train more of our own citizens in these professions and it would have been ideal if this had happened several decades ago; but unfortunately it didn’t.

However, we could at least begin the process if we were to encourage the younger generation to study in these fields, by reducing the exorbitant costs of university education. The tuition fees for a student studying dentistry in the UK is currently £46,000 over a 5 year period. If this cost were to be covered by the government, it might well inspire a renewed interest in this field of medicine. Similar arguments could be made for other aspects of medicine.

Whilst it might be thought that this is a cost that is unjustified, the reality is that the benefits to the health of the population would be enormous, and the financial cost to the treasury covered many times over.

We just need the government to accept the situation, and take bold steps to rectify the existing shortages of the medical personnel that we need now, and will need in the future.

Regards

Tony Sutcliffe

Dear Editor,

Play has been a fundamental part of childhood in the UK for generations – and new research shows that 72 percent of British adults consider playing with friends among their fondest childhood memories.

However, for millions of children around the world today, it’s a very different situation. Extreme challenges such as conflict, poverty, child labour and early marriage are depriving children of the opportunity to play and experience joy in their lives.

That’s why Right To Play exists. We use the power of play to transform the lives of more than 4.7-million children every year, helping them to stay in school, heal from trauma and develop the critical life skills they need to thrive. Play is proven to be essential to children’s learning, development and well-being.

On June 11, we’ll be marking International Day of Play. This annual UN-recognised day highlights the vital importance of play for children and champions this basic right for every child.

Find out more about the enormous benefits of play, and how you can support our life-changing work, by visiting righttoplay.org.uk

Gillian McMahon

Executive director, Right To Play UK

Dear Editor,

In Somerset, something extraordinary happens every week. Local people give up their time, skills and heart to change children’s lives.

As part of Volunteers’ Week (June 2 to 8), I want to say a huge thank you to everyone in Somerset who supports The Children’s Society organising local events, bringing cheer to our charity shops, donating and raising vital funds and awareness of our work – your time and energy is shaping brighter futures for the young people growing up here.

With the help and dedication of our incredible volunteers, we can make a real and lasting difference to the lives of young people. We’re so proud of the impact we’re making locally, but we can’t do it alone.

Perhaps you’re reading this and feeling a spark. If you’ve ever thought about giving your time to a cause that matters, now is the moment. Just a few hours a week in a shop, or at an event or alongside a young person can make all the difference.

Find out how you can join us by visiting www.childrenssociety.org.uk/how-you-can-help/volunteer-to-help-children or call 0300 303 7000.

Thank you again to our amazing Somerset volunteers, this week and every week, we’re proud to stand with you.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Russell

Chief executive, The Children’s Society