No one who voted for Brexit wanted an ideological witch hunt
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Your support makes all the difference.Attacks on freedom don’t always start with obvious signs such as laws instituting censorship or limiting free expression.
This week, in Britain, it was a letter on House of Commons notepaper from an elected member of parliament that has left many feeling basic rights are under new threat.
The letter was from a Government whip, and asked for details about who was teaching European studies and what curriculum was being used. When a member of the Government demands to know what is being taught in universities we should all be worried.
The Brexit attack dogs of the press have got right behind the misguided actions of Chris Heaton-Harris. This is only the start of a sinister attack on freedom of speech, especially on those that think differently to Government Brexiteers.
Few, if any, of those who voted to leave the European Union did so because they wanted an ideological witch hunt and fewer still will have wanted to unleash an attack on our universities – one of the most successful of Britain’s export industries.
Adrian McMenamin
Address supplied
National interest
It was interesting to read the statement by Priti Patel in relation to foreign aid being spent on things which are in "the national interest" and complaining about a lack of transparency and oversight.
Perhaps she would care to tell the British public how transparent the interview process was when her husband was selected as her part-time office manager until June 2017?
Chris Key
East Twickenham
Fitter, happier, more productive
The Prime Minister is right, we do need to take action following the Thriving at Work report revealing that poor mental health sees 300,000 people leave their jobs each year.
As someone who has battled with mental health issues for some time, I have experienced first-hand just how important exercise is in ensuring I beat that daily struggle. Therefore, businesses must play a proactive and innovative role in introducing exercise into the workplace for the overall wellbeing of their employees and, in turn, the performance of their own business.
Exercise helps with the production of endorphins and serotonin – our pain relief and happy hormones. Both of these hormones assist in the regulation of metabolism, sleep, concentration and motivation. Adding a bit of physical activity into the working day can enable employees to try something new, boost their confidence and generally make them happier.
The NHS has previously stated that regular exercise can bring a reduction in the risk of heart disease and stroke; a lower risk of depression; and a reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It doesn't have to be complex or extreme. Fitness should be for all – keep it simple so it becomes part of the daily routine for staff. Baby-steps will be key. This will eventually see them fully engaged in health and wellbeing within the workplace.
Craig Peters
Address supplied
The Big Six are out of energy
The Government's energy price cap bill brings real hope to fix this broken market, and we urge them to introduce a price cap sooner rather than later. I believe that a relative price cap – simply limiting the difference between a supplier's cheapest rate and its default tariff – is the best option to stop rip-off energy prices, but any cap covering all customers is better than the status quo.
The current proposals from the Big Six to end the Standard Variable Tariff are just another ploy to continue to pass the costs of their inefficiency on to customers. The Big Six have rapidly introduced sky high fixed tariffs since the Government announced its bill, in yet another attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of customers and policymakers alike.
Yesterday, Professor Dieter Helm also highlighted the inefficiency of the legacy energy businesses. As Professor Helm says, “the recent moves by some of the Big Six to abolish SVTs miss the point – they are just going to move from one default tariff to another.”
It is bonkers to say that customers need to switch every year to avoid being ripped off. We don't need to do this with supermarkets and we shouldn't need to do it with energy.
Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy
Address supplied
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