BOB WAITE’S letter (The Press, September 24) is headlined “Some MPs are on a different planet”.

Reading his vicious personal attack on York Central Labour MP Rachael Maskell, it strikes me that Bob is the one on another planet – somewhere at the further reaches of the galaxy.

I was one of several hundred York Labour Party members who took part in Rachael’s selection as parliamentary candidate, from a very strong shortlist, so I know there was no “parachuting” involved.

As for supposed ignorance of health needs in the city, Rachael lives in York, has a fine track record of working to support a caring, properly resourced NHS, and continues to do so.

Bob might also consider that under the last Labour governments, A&E and many other NHS performance indicators consistently improved, but have gone into reverse since 2010.

And as for the insinuation that Rachael prefers spending time at Westminster to dealing with constituents’ needs in York, this week I spent an hour sitting round a table with her, at a local voluntary organisation, discussing how best to meet the needs of some of York’s most vulnerable people.

Rachael is among those calling for York to offer a welcome to refugees, but it is a complete calumny to imply she is indifferent to the needs of local people.

Mark Gladwin, Huntington Road, York

 

RACHAEL MASKELL’S notion that the UK in general and York specifically should take refugees/migrants to “saturation” point (The Press, September 21) is by any reasonable measure somewhat ludicrous.

Ms Maskell’s stance is virtue signalling as opposed to dealing with both the strains placed on an already creaking infrastructure and the threat to social cohesion that opening the door to saturation point to a mostly Islamic culture would create.

However, does Ms Maskell merely reflect the narrative made explicit by Peter Sutherland of the United Nations when he appeared before the House of Lords select committee in June 2012?

Sutherland made it plain that the EU must “use” mass migration to, and I quote “undermine the national homogeneity” of European nations.

Food for thought amid all the handwringing and posturing I venture to suggest.

Andrew Paul, Lansdowne Terrace, York

 

SO Rachael Maskell wants all the York residents to welcome the refugees with open arms (The Press, September 21).

There are maybe a few points she needs to consider first.

Does she actually know how many homeless people there are in York that have been on a waiting list? (Yet the refugees will get housed).

How many families are now living below the poverty line and relying on food banks? (Yet the refugees will be catered for).

How long it takes to get a doctors appointment or an appointment with a consultant at the hospital? The hours sitting waiting at A&E to be seen? (But no doubt the refugees will be fast tracked through).

How many of these people are genuine refugees and not coming here because we give them everything? (If they are genuine refugees then why are there so many young fit men?).

I don’t think she has even thought about the bigger picture and the repercussions that could ensue from her do-goody attitude.

York has its own problems that need addressing before we open our doors to these people.

Charity should begin at home.

S McClaren, Boroughbridge Road, York