Corbyn’s way forward very far from ideal

History is littered with examples of populist politics, both of the left and right, delivering chaos, economic ruin, loss of basic freedoms and oppression of its citizens.

In the UK we have a populist leader of the Labour Party who shares many of the qualities and practices of Mr Trump. Both hate the mainstream media, preferring to speak through Twitter or YouTube. Both believe in wild conspiracy theories, both seek to control and subdue the free press, both have cultish followers who leap to defend often offensive and dangerous language delivered by their leaders, and both are busily trying to defend their past comments and actions.

Back in February, Mr Corbyn spoke at a rally in support of Venezuela’s socialist leader where he described Venezuela as an inspiration to us all and showing us a better way of doing things. The Venezuelan people are starving; inflation is due to reach a million per cent, the police are killing and arresting opposition leaders and supporters, the currency has been devalued by 96%, petrol is rationed in a country that has huge oil reserves and people are fleeing the country. Yet to Jeremy it’s all an inspiration and shows us the way forward.

Nigel Dix

Blackwood

Town in two halves is divided by money

I was left shocked at reading a notice from the council on a lamppost in my street stating that resident parking will now cost £30.

This charge was not mentioned in any Labour campaign literature. Then I get a letter informing me that the council is taking over parking enforcement in the town, again no mention of this policy in any Labour literature.

Talk about the Tories introducing stealth taxes, Labour is introducing stealth payment. I suppose they have got to get money from somewhere to help pay for the suspended executive.

This will not help the struggling high streets and the shop owners to keep their shops open. Bargoed is split in two halves, the south end of town being where the council owns the big shopping complex and free parking.

Then there is the poor north end of the town where shops are closing, there is paid parking and no interest from local councillors and the council. It’s like they want that area to go to the wall. Well, the more successful the shops the more taxes the council can collect.

So any Bargoed resident interested in joining my Putting Bargoed First Campaign, you are most welcome.

Andrew Nutt

Bargoed, Caerphilly

Has anyone else read this dreadful book?

Some years ago it was my misfortune to be given a copy of a book the contents of which were so outrageous I promptly hid it away in a fit of anger.

I recently rediscovered The Perfidious Welshman during a clear-out of my attic and could not resist the temptation to once more read what is the most hurtful collection of anti-Welsh comments ever written.

Published in 1910, the writer is named as Draig Glas (sic) and I understand he might also have been responsible for similar written assaults on the Scots and the Irish. The anti-Welsh comments of Anne Robinson and AA Gill seem like high praise when compared with the vicious views of this person who could not even take the trouble to invent a grammatically correct pseudonym.

If ever a book should have asbestos covers, this is it. I would like to hear of the reactions of others to this tiresome tome.

Don Llewellyn

Pentyrch, Cardiff

He’s a stirrer and a Remainer to boot

As a backbench MP, Jeremy Corbyn made many campaign speeches criticising every aspect of the EU, even questioning its legitimacy; yet on Radio 5 Live (August 29) a Labour Party spokesman claimed that if there were another EU referendum Corbyn would vote to remain.

Can we now assume that all Corbyn’s campaigning arguments were only intended to stir up discontent, and not to be taken literally?

Brian Christley

Abergele, Conwy

UK is doomed with no-deal madness

Last week the government announced its plans for a no-deal Brexit. The irresponsibility of this beggars belief when it is apparent that this would be disastrous for our country’s economy and standing in the world.

When I think about Bridgend County Borough and the people who live and work here, I find it extremely distressing to consider just how many would be adversely affected should “no deal” actually happen.

The reality of a no deal means quite starkly: fewer nurses, doctors, and medicines for those who need care (and this will affect cancer patients requiring radioactive isotopes); there will be a shortage of food supplies for our restaurants; fewer opportunities to travel and learn abroad for students and more expensive public services.

It is easy to disbelieve these things as Project Fear. I for one do not want to take the risk: the stakes are too high. For all the brave talk I hear bandied about, the truth is we shall be much poorer and powerless to do anything about it.

It will be too late when we start hearing people say: “They never told us it would be like this.” We won’t then be able to alter a situation that will affect us negatively for decades to come.

It is madness! Why on earth are we doing this to ourselves? I desperately hope (and I know many of my friends feel similarly) that we get a People’s Vote, a final say, on the final deal – whatever it is – so that we can, using common sense, vote down this nonsense and put our country back on the right track.

A Jones

Best for Britain spokesman for Bridgend

Delay and confusion is what Brussels wants

I enjoy reading the different views and subjects aired in the Western Mail letters column, even if I disagree with some of them.

To “show some humility and beg the EEC to reinstate us” had me completely baffled. As the late John Wayne was wont to say, “That will be the day”.

This great country once had enough self-respect to put petty dictators in their place. The EU is following a well-tried path. Cause as much delay and confusion as possible and call for repeat referendums until populations become tired or Brussels gets the result it wants. The EU has many problems which it seems rather reluctant to tackle.

The present dispute can be seen as something of a smokescreen to divert attention away from these. Also as a warning to those who would also like to leave.

We have a government with a large complement of “Remainers” and it is to Mrs May’s credit that she is trying her best to honour the referendum result. There have been cries of “where’s the plan?” There was a very detailed plan published which was immediatedly discounted by critics who had “speed-read it”.

What details were the public given prior to the signing of the Maastricht and Lisbon Treaties? No calls for repeat referendums then. I support trading and co-operation with the EU but not at the price of loss of identity and a grossly unequal distribution of the “benefits”.

H Thomas

Neath

Council’s aim to bring in congestion charge

So Cardiff council leader Huw Thomas is to ask Prime Minister Theresa May to take action on pollution from motor vehicles (Western Mail, August 28).

Let’s hope she’s wise to Cardiff council’s only idea of a solution, which is to tax the motorist, and that she sends him off to look at the real causes of the problem and asks that he apportions blame honestly. There is no chance the council would look at the reasons for pollution problems honestly, as this would show decisions made by them are the main reason for these problems.

Allowing property speculators to build Lego-type tower blocks all over the city obviously interferes with the flow of pollutants, trapping them, rather than letting them escape.

For a number of years I have complained about this council constantly interfering with traffic flow, by interfering with traffic-lights – dumping lumps of Tarmac on roads instead of using it to repair them. We also have bus lanes, cycle lanes and 20mph zones in place.

More recently the council has been putting up cameras which look like average speed cameras, or maybe these are for number-plate recognition in readiness to start charging motorists to enter the city.

Anybody looking at decisions made by Cardiff council over a number of years could not be blamed for coming to the conclusion that this council’s aim has always been to find a way to bring in congestion charges.

Francis Spragg

Cardiff