Letters to the Editor - 06th February 2008

Feb 6 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

Just stop your whining, Peter

IT IS getting a bit tiresome to read Peter Elson’s well-meaning but usually off-the-wall diatribes about modern architecture. Peter, it seems, has little knowledge of cause-and-effect, let alone the realities of how buildings are commissioned and designed.

In truth, every society gets the buildings it deserves. At present, we live in a right-wing authoritarian capitalist society. This requires new buildings to be little more than economic envelopes built at least cost and maximum profit. Aesthetics hardly come into it except as a marginal argument; the height of a building for example.

The result is manifest everywhere in western culture. Ironically, you’ll find this reinforced on Page 22 of Monday’s Daily Post, which poses the question “Is capitalism about to collapse?”. The answer, of course, is “not yet.” But a few more concentrated Enrons, Baring Banks, Societe Generales, BCCIs and Northern Rocks might just deliver the final, long overdue dull blows.

Meantime, there’s little point blaming architects for giving such a society what it demands. Most modern projects are design-and-build, and therefore directed by the will of the developer/ contractor, not by the artistic abilities of the architect. Why be surprised at the result? Nor is there anything new about this. Equally ironically, you’ll find it in Robert Tressell’s classic book, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, also mentioned on Page 3 of the same edition of the Daily Post.

Tressell describes cheap building as “scamping,” a corrupt process that led directly to the appalling slums and city centre degeneration of the first half of the last century. While we go through the present culturally illiterate phase, the sight and sound of unelected Charles Windsor’s absurd idealising of neo-classical architectural style can provide some light relief a la Tommy Cooper, but it won’t provide any new direction.

Peter, either change the system or stop whining. Nostalgia is sometimes pleasant, but it gets us precisely nowhere.

Michael Durkin, L3

Read the book, Ben

MY DELIGHT at reading in Monday’s Daily Post that Robert Noonan, author of the Socialist classic The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, has been honoured by the fixing of the blue plaque on the University building, was tempered somewhat by two things.

It is clear that journalist Ben Schofield has not actually read the book, since his piece reads: “It is said to be replete with hatred and contempt for the capitalist system”. Indeed it is, as Ben would confirm if he actually reads it.

Secondly, the reference to it being a “bible” would doubtless have raised a wry smile on the lips of the author, since the book is also a fierce criticism of organised religion and the hypocrisy of its practitioners.

The genius of the work is that the message is delivered within a human story and is entertaining, humorous, tragic and optimistic. Everyone should read it.

PR Jones, Wirral

Game of wealth

PEOPLE are surprised by the antics at Anfield being reported so fully this week in the Daily Post. Maybe this is because Liverpool once represented the highest values in English football.

Of course, since the game turned professional at the end of the 19th century, there has always been a need to balance the interests of a sporting game against those of commerce.

It is ridiculous to think that a Corinthian spirit prevailed until recent times. There were always rumours of players finding their boots unexpectedly stuffed with wads of money. Inevitably, money has dominated in transfer deals, often unfairly drawing good players away from local clubs, which gave them their start.

The difference now is the foreign ownership of British clubs and a widespread belief that the sporting/commercial balance has tilted too much one way.

Once the interests of commerce are tantamount, the values of an organisation are sure to be sullied. The truth of that can be found in almost any industry, not just football. In fact, if you look at the young people watching the rise and fall of the world’s stock markets, their reactions are not that different from a football crowd celebrating one of their own goals, or bemoaning one of the opposition’s.

For them, we might as well have an alternative league table, listing the teams in order of wealth.

Tony Murray, Bebington

Action, not words

IN RESPONSE to the Sons of Shankly and the RTK campaign groups, it is superb that we have supporters and people who have the guts, determination and the wisdom to fight for the rights of the Liverpool fans, but more importantly for the future well being of Liverpool Football Club.

Messrs Hicks and Gillett, on taking over our club, spoke of “adhering to the values, traditions and heritage of Liverpool Football Club”.

Actions speak louder than words, and their behaviour and attitude, as well as their attempt to undermine Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez – the most tactically astute manager this club has had since Bob Paisley retired in 1983 – is nothing short of an absolute disgrace.

Messrs Hicks & Gillett should get out of our club forthwith. Once again, thank goodness for people like the Sons of Shankly group and the RTK campaign group who, unlike the present owners of LFC, have the club at heart and do it for the love of Liverpool Football Club and not to make money.

The old saying goes that money is the root of all evil, and, boy, have Hicks and Gillett proved just how true that is.

Graham Agg, Netherton

Trouble ahead

I WELCOME the Government’s initiative to send two sixth-formers from every school to visit Auschwitz. I myself have visited both Bergen-Belsen and Dachau. In the museums, in both, the question is asked how were the Nazis able to round up so many Jews, Gipsies and others?

The answer is they used municipal and company records to do so, and being very efficient, they had more than enough information for their deeds.

Now, for many years I have consistently refused, for the same reason, to answer racial, ethnic or disability questions when applying for new jobs.

I believe this government’s mishandling of legal and illegal immigration, asylum seekers and EU cross border migration is an unmitigated disaster and within a few years it will come back to haunt them.

Will these company and municipal records be put to evil use? I live in fear and I am white, Catholic and fully fit.

Joe Moran, UK Independence Party, Liverpool Branch

Pay the cash back

DEREK CONWAY and his family should pay back the money they have received from taxpayers.

In any other business, the police would probably have become involved, but this sort of thing seems to be shrugged off in Parliament as if it is just a minor aberrance.

But when you think that it’s only recently MPs have acknowledged that voting on their own pay rises puts them at odds with the rest of the country’s wage system, the hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on their second homes in the City, such arrogance is hardly surprising.

We need a root and branch clear out of those MPs who use their position to line their pockets and make the whole lot fully accountable to tax payers.

T Bevan, Ormskirk

Back to bad old days

WHY was Margi Clarke given her own radio show on CityTalk 105.9 FM? I endured her show for half an hour but had to switch off because of the hackneyed cliché-ridden phrases like: “You can take the girl out of Liverpool but you can’t take Liverpool out of the girl”.

This outdated ersatz-Scouse dialogue portrays the average Liverpudlian as slow-witted and turns the clock back to the days of the old Harry Enfield “calm down, calm down” archetype. Isn’t this supposed to be the year when Liverpool shines and shows the world it has cultured citizens?

Mike Cullen, West Derby

Time to speak up

TWENTY years ago, Frank Field was threatened with deselection for not towing the then-Militant line. Wallasey’s then-MP Lynda Chalker and the Conservatives backed him.

We have no hesitation in doing so again. New Labour cannot spin their way out of a clear promise to hold a referendum on the EU Constitution. All four of the New Labour MPs in Wirral stood by that manifesto. It’s time for the other three to say where they stand.

Cllr Leah Fraser,Prospective Conservative MP for Wallasey

Waste of money

I READ with great interest and excitement the article in last Thursday’s Daily Post thinking that, at long last, residents from Wallasey Village, especially the elderly, infirm and those with mobility problems, were going to get station access improvements.

However, this turns out to be not quite as reported. The scheme is for upgrading only and, while in excess of £0.5m will be spent on the two Wallasey Village stations, there will be no improvement to access at these stations. This will be a source of disappointment, not only to myself, but also local residents.

The idea of painting seats and improving the waiting room, which may become a target for vandalism and anti-social behaviour, will not help those who are unable to access the station. This money may be wasted.

Cllr Kate Wood, Wallasey

Unfair tunnel tax

RE: THE tunnel tolls rise. It costs £676 for a person living on the Wirral to work in Liverpool, allowing for 20 days’ holiday per annum.

This is in no way reflected in the salaries we earn, and is yet another appalling tax. If salaries had gone up in accordance with inflation, then perhaps we might be able to stomach this increase, but mine for one has not.

Name and address supplied