The answer to our staff shortages could be sitting in tents in northern France

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

‘Asylum seekers with skills in Calais could be fast-tracked through the immigration system’ (Getty)

With reference to the excellent piece by Vince Cable in Tuesday’s Independent, can I add that we need these immigrants now in this country.

Up and down the country huge numbers of organisations – from the NHS to care homes to HGV drivers to farmers and businesses – are crying out for employees. It’s reported that there are 1.2 million vacancies now in Britain. 

Is it beyond the wit of this government not to allow managers from these organisations to go across to Calais and interview potential employees who have the skills that we are desperate for? They could then be fast-tracked through the immigration system and alleviate the shortages we are suffering from. The solution to our problems could be sitting in tents in northern France.

We will need a greater effort from the Home Office and a more enlightened attitude from this government.

Jeffrey Dodd

Wirral

Legally binding

My understanding is that it is now a legal requirement to wear a mask in certain indoor settings, including shops and supermarkets, unless individuals have a valid reason for not wearing one. I visited my local supermarket (Sainsbury’s, Rugby) twice yesterday, and on both occasions noticed a significant number of shoppers not wearing masks.

The staff (quite justifiably) said they were only authorised to advise people to wear masks in the store, and not to prevent them from entering, and I note the comments in the press from the various CEO’s of the large supermarket chains regarding the issue and their respective stances.

Like many other volunteers, I have given my time freely at our local vaccination clinic week in week out, in all weathers, to ensure as many people as possible are vaccinated, in order to minimise the spread of Covid. It is therefore disheartening to see our efforts undermined by those with flagrant disregard for the law, and with seemingly no social responsibility. The overworked police force cannot be expected to be present at all indoor settings in order to monitor the situation and ensure compliance, nor can the staff be expected to involve themselves in potentially aggressive confrontations.

What measures, therefore, has the government taken to ensure the public adhere to what is now a legal requirement, brought in for all the right reasons based on sound scientific advice? And how can the many volunteers in the vaccination centres be reassured that their sterling efforts are not being significantly compromised by the selfishness of the irresponsible few?

Dr Adrian Canale-Parola

Rugby

Confusing advice

Some, mainly the hospitality and travel industries, seem to be complaining about confusing advice. I’m not confused at all – the people who understand viruses and their transmission are advising caution in social gatherings, Boris Johnson says party on. Who are you going to believe? Come on, how difficult a choice is that?

David Wallis

Cirencester

What have we become?

The RNLI has confirmed that a group of “fishermen”  blocked a lifeboat from going out to sea from Hastings on Saturday on the grounds that they didn’t want the boat rescuing asylum seekers. One of those preventing the lifeboat launching reportedly told the RNLI crew: “Don’t bring any more of those home, we’re full up.”

The use of the de-humanising “those” to describe people, human beings, sums up how utterly devoid of humanity some in Britain have become.

How can these same people have this view when 27 asylum seekers – including five women and a little girl – drowned attempting the crossing from France? How did they feel when they learned the dead included Baran Nouri Mohammedameen, a 24-year-old Kurdish woman hoping to be reunited with her fiance in the UK?

Those who would rather see asylum seekers drown in the Channel do not represent the people of Hastings, many of whom have welcomed asylum seekers and given them help. These views are the result of decades of anti-asylum, anti-refugee, anti-immigrant propaganda pushed by portions of the UK’s right-wing media and by certain unscrupulous politicians looking for scapegoats to deflect from their policy failures.

They have been encouraged by home secretary Priti Patel whose Nationality and Borders Bill seeks to criminalise those who seek asylum and those who help asylum seekers.

The poison they have injected into society has produced twisted individuals prepared to stop RNLI volunteers from doing their duty to save human life. The vast majority of people are against racism and know it is wrong. But it’s not enough to be non-racist. Decent people have a duty to be actively anti-racist. We can start by welcoming asylum seekers, donating to the RNLI and stopping Patel’s bill.

Sasha Simic      

London