SIR – It was good to see a letter from my cousin Michael Smith in support of Worcester City and the Perdiswell proposal.
My only slight doubt in his well-reasoned letter is that I would personally have the match day parking on the old park and ride site and leave the tip where it is.
However if having the match day parking at the current tip site proved to be a game changer for the objectors, lets go for it. As he rightly pointed out there would only be traffic using it twice a week maximum.
In my previous letter I said that the Tory administration had a hidden agenda. Do not be taken in by their platitudes. We have seen how long the Perdiswell application has taken so far. Even if another site was identified and the whole process is started from scratch, then the club’s resources will be exhausted and it will cease to exist. Is this the outcome they are really after?
CLIVE SMITH
Malvern

Our armed forces need money spent on them
SIR – We are fortunate to have the finest armed forces in the world, yet over the years they have had their budgets slashed, thus cannot perform miracles.
Russian nuclear subs and aircraft regularly are spotted off our coasts. But they’re not all spotted by RAF patrols. Defence cuts mean we have to rely on our NATO allies to help.
The first duty of any Government is defence and protection of its citizens. Yet we still give billions away in foreign aid, and £55million a day to the EU. We must make sure our forces can do the job we expect of them – and that means not cutting their budgets.
BRENDAN ELLIS
Leominster

The case for Brexit has been clearly made
SIR – It was most enlightening to hear from Mrs. Baldwin MP that Mr. Cameron has “secured a special status for the UK in the EU as a result of which we enjoy the best of both worlds – sovereignty over our currency and interest rates, sovereignty over budget matters as a non-euro country and we are not part of border-free Schengen area. But our farmers and businesses get access to an enormous market and we can choose to live, work, study, travel freely and own property in the EU with the same protection as at home.
Many jobs in West Worcs.and the UK hinge on this free movement of goods, workers, services. Those advocating leaving the EU have not to my mind been able to show how they would retain the benefits of free trade in a single market nor how we’d be able to influence how future changes to the EU budget would affect us nor how they would reduce the cost of membership nor even how our borders would be safer if we left.
David Cameron has shown how to stand up for Britain’s interests in Europe while Messrs. Galloway, Carswell and Farage can’t even agree what “out” looks like. Would you really want to leap in the dark with them? Now that the negotiations are successfully (?) concluded , I am pleased to back Remaining in a reformed (?) EU in a referendum where my vote carries the same sort of weight as everyone else’s.”
Thank you Mrs. Baldwin for your attempts at reassurance. However I fear your understanding of the terms “reformed” and “success” are scarcely likely to be shared by many in the your own party. I do believe that the case for “Brexit” has been clearly articulated and that those who favour Remain in know that very well. I certainly would not like “to leap in the dark” with such “reforms”.
WENDY HANDS
Upton-upon-Severn


How about all the assets we have sold?
SIR – There’s much talk about sovereignty on this page. I wonder how many readers realise that for the past 40 years governments have sold, or allowed the sale, of our assets? Fuel, energy, public transport and large parts of manufacturing are in the hands of overseas investors and global corporations (remember the Kraft take-over of Cadburys?). To regain UK economic sovereignty, is it planned that we should buy back those assets, and if so who will pay?
DEREK FEARNSIDE
Worcester

Differences in the  cost of rail fares
SIR – Rail commuters in the UK spend up to six times as much as their co-European cousins on rail fares, a study has revealed. Some UK workers spent 13 per cent of their wages on rail fares, where in Italy it’s 2 per cent.
Even in France, our nearest mainland neighbour, they still spend a third less.
How on earth is being in the EU fair?
We are being ripped off constantly.
GB DIPPER
Leominster


Cheers as carpet was hoovered in vain
SIR – I remember being in the crowd waiting for Prince Charles to come out of the cathedral and unveil the Elgar statue. He was due to have a brief reception at The Giffard Hotel, and we were all amused to see the red carpet being Hoovered more than once.
Ironically when the prince alighted from his car, he walked backwards to reach his destination and missed the carpet completely, to loud cheers from us spectators.
PHIL PEGLER
Worcester

Stuffed with gold
SIR – As a former nurse I am angry about junior doctors striking. They get £1,000s of pounds a week. I am 79 and live alone (with 17 disabilities) quite happily on £325 a week. People today make a god of money – God, who will be our judge one day, is “love”. A curse on all wealthy people.
GEORGE COWLEY
Worcester