Express Letters: Readers have their say on free hospital parking, moving away from weapons and Remembrance Sunday

Why does Wakefield MP Mr Khan defend the indefensible? Derk Bos, Netherton

He defended Dominic Cummings’ trip to the north, he defended the government refusal to provide free school meals in the holidays and now in Anti-Bullying Week, he defends the home secretary, Pritti Patel.

A report concluded that she had bullied officials at work and broken the Ministerial Code, normally a sacking or resigning offence.

The author of that investigation saw fit to resign when the PM ignored his findings.

Mr Khan rejects the findings of the report and asserts that Patel is not capable of “any deliberate attempts to bully.”

Patel had been accused of bullying in three separate government departments and she had been sacked in 2017 for breaking the Ministerial Code.

The Nolan Principles, which are a set of standards by which to judge the behaviour of public officials, include the ideas of selflessness, integrity, honesty, leadership and accountability.

What message does the reaction to the report send out?

Politicians are exempt from rules, they don’t have to follow work place practices, they do not have to take responsibility for their words and deeds?

This is yet another example of politicians believing themselves to be bound by different standards and levels of behaviour to the rest of us and refusing to accept any evidence that contradicts their viewpoint.

SAGE’s data admission Judy Goodwin, Altofts

I wonder if Boris will continue to take advice from SAGE now that they have admitted getting data from Wikipedia and how kind of him to allow businesses and pubs to open for Christmas. He is acting like a present-day Lady Bountiful.

I feel sure all of the people who have lost their jobs and businesses will show their gratitude at the next election.

Move away from weapons Martin Schweiger, Leeds

Last week Boris Johnson announced that there will be a “once in a generation modernisation” of the armed forces. £16.5 billion is a lot of money and it could really be used for credible defence of the realm.

Spending on developing our diplomatic services, cultural services, supporting international bodies like the World Health Organisation and ensuring that every person working in the diplomatic and armed services receives first class training in conflict de-escalation and reconciliation would make a real difference to the likelihood of conflict.

It would also be a lot cheaper leaving money available for all the other badly needed services.

We need to move away from military weapons and use the tools that make a worthwhile and sustainable difference.

Free parking for hospital staff Steve Turner, Ferrybridge

After all the NHS staff have gone through and are going through at this time due to the coronavirus pandemic I find it hard to comprehend just how thoughtless and uncaring this present government is.

My sister-in-law works at Pinderfields and will have to pay to park at her place of work.

Where is the thanks from the government? Do bus drivers, police or prison staff pay for paying at work? No they don’t and they also are classed as key workers.

Without these workers the government wouldn’t have a cat in hell’s chance of beating the present pandemic.

Shame on the government, anyone who works at a hospital should be given free parking at their place of work.

How many MPs pay for their parking I wonder? Not many I bet. Matt Hancock and his associate MPs should be disgusted with themselves, some NHS staff have lost their lives and this is the reward they are given.

Sacrifices can’t be compared Jenny Eaves, via email

It has been a challenging year in lots of ways but I found it particularly sad that people were unable to mark Remembrance Sunday as normal. However, the sacrifices we are being asked to make to our ordinary lives at the moment are nothing compared to what the wartime generations went through.

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