There are plenty of Brexit benefits – just none for the British

Victoria Prentis, minister of state for environment, food and rural affairs, seems to think that farmers are to blame for the number of pigs, now overweight, that are stuck on farms and thought unsuitable for the food chain. Instead, she should acknowledge that Brexit and ensuing visa requirements have driven the slaughtermen back to their continental homelands, thus stopping the pigs getting to the butchers.

It is absurd that these pigs will be disposed of while foodbanks proliferate and people go hungry as the costs of living continue to rise.

Furthermore, some, perhaps many, pig farms will go into liquidation, reducing the supply of home grown food and necessitating an increase in imports from our more than grateful EU neighbours, particularly in the case of pork and bacon. This will be another Brexit benefit for Jacob Rees-Mogg to crow about – but not a benefit for the British.

Ian Reid

Kilnwick

While I was not an enthusiast for the regional mayors when they were first introduced, I have come to appreciate the counterbalance they provide to the power of Westminster.

This process of change has not been revolutionary or even evolutionary, however, but piecemeal. We have been left with the proverbial mishmash of county, borough and district councils across the country with various depleted powers. Surely now is the time for tidying up and levelling up in local government, when something like a common structure could be introduced, with standardised powers?

The result could be something more understandable, which would encourage a higher level of electorate involvement.

John E Harrison

Chorley, Lancashire

I read May Bulman’s piece (Home Office blocks vulnerable children from reuniting with refugee sister in UK, 11 February) with such consternation but no little surprise at the Home Office’s intractability in what I would imagine to be an open and shut case for these four siblings to be reunited with their older sister, who shows such admirable empathy and concern for their ongoing plight.

The disturbing fact that three out of the four schemes mentioned were no longer in operation says it all for this department’s up-to-date information. Why this responsible young woman is being put through this draconian legal wringer is anyone’s educated guess. She should not have to suffer one more sleepless night and her siblings should be allowed to join her and then they can all access the urgent help and assistance they all so obviously need.

If we do still consider Britain to be a civilised country and able to appreciate people’s often horrendous back stories, the Home Office should do the decent thing and open a new and positive chapter for these disenfranchised orphans.

Judith A Daniels

Great Yarmouth

The current situation in Ukraine could easily become the start of a world war. Do any citizens of the nation players involved deserve the hideous consequences, let alone the rest of us who call this planet home?

Are sanctions really any kind of deterrence? Leaders, please remember the Cuban missile crisis and JFK’s decisive leadership, in such stark contrast to what is currently unfolding. Step up to the plate.

Philip Mitchell

Winchester

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine seems imminent, it is evident that the long grim nights of tribulations, great dangers, sorrow, grief and uncertainties will lie before us. This will be the third world war, pure and simple. No country will escape its impacts. If it unleashes its disastrous fireballs, it will expose the fallacy of conflict resolution and peace and human rights. As Winston Churchill put it eloquently: “Death and sorrow will be the companions of our journey; hardship our garment.”

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob

London NW2

David Lister gives a good account of the culture found within Coventry, which is currently the UK’s City of Culture (Welcome to the UK’s city of culture – with diversity centre-stage, 12 February), but forgets to mention that Coventry was “motor city” for the UK. The city created the classic cars of the Daimler, the Jaguar, the Triumph, the Riley and the Rover and today it creates the London Black Cabs. Its cars have defined our culture since 1897.

Kartar Uppal

Sutton Coldfield