Who needs Glastonbury when you have a living room?

Glastonbury tickets have already sold out. Reading, Leeds, and many other festival tickets will soon be doing the same.

This means millions of fans next year will be arriving at these festivals from all over the world, on carbon-belching flights, in ageing fume-belching camper vans, equipped with tents, waterproof clothing, stoves, and other camping gear all made from and using fossil fuels. Much of this undoubtedly will be abandoned after only a single weekend’s use. Stages and marquees will be built of plastic materials and massive amounts of oil-based disinfectants. Not to mention the sheer amount of energy and water that will be copiously used at each site.

Are we really really serious about reducing our carbon footprint when we allow gigantic carbon orgies like these to take place all over our country?

We should be banning such events, after all, people can listen to exactly the same music in their own homes, with minimal damage to the environment.

Ian McNicholas

Ebbw Vale

I was heartened to read Derek Walker’s recent article and learn of the Welsh government’s “Wellbeing of Future Generations Act” which seeks to ensure that any decisions are made pay heed to their impact on those who come after us. I was particularly taken with his statement that future “prosperity equals an innovative, productive and low carbon society with decent work”.

And then I read about the chancellor’s autumn statement and realised, yet again, how far short we fall when investing in our children’s future. Instead of investing in growth and stimulating productivity, they choose to waste the nation’s finances in order to win a few votes back from those they have disenchanted in recent years. All whilst making life difficult for a future Labour government. This is cynical opportunism by a Tory government devoid of ideas, driven by a fundamentalist belief in a low-tax economy where the rich get richer and the little people get fed scraps in the hope that it will keep them quiet.

The longer this government stays in office, the farther we will get from being a country that recognises that “we don’t inherit the world from our parents – we borrow it from our children.”

Graham Powell

Cirencester

Rising numbers of children and families are finding themselves in a desperate situation, trapped in the children’s social care system, which is increasingly turning away from early intervention and focusing on helping those who have reached breaking point. The chancellor could have used the autumn statement to tackle this destructive cycle with a commitment to significant investment in children’s social care and it is deeply disappointing he didn’t seize the opportunity.

Children are being left behind in the UK: more than one in four are living in poverty and there is an escalating mental health crisis which has left services struggling to cope with the rising demand. At the same time, there are increasing numbers of children persistently absent from school, at risk of abuse, exploitation, and online harm, and being taken into care when families break down under the strain.    

It’s not too late to change this. Our report released last week highlighted why we need a commitment from the very top of government to improve the lives of babies, children, and young people – now and in the future. We will continue to work across the political divide to ensure children are put at the heart of policymaking so we can together ensure childhoods are happier, healthier, and safe from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Paul Carberry, CEO – Action for Children, Lynn Perry MBE, CEO – Barnardo’s, Mark Russell, CEO – The Children’s Society, Anna Feuchtwang, CEO – National Children’s Bureau and Sir Peter Wanless, CEO – NSPCC

Whether or not our brand new home secretary was responsible for the denigratory “descriptor” directed at the constituency of Alex Cunningham – who asked Rishi Sunak: “Why are 34 per cent of children in my constituency living in poverty?” – we should not be surprised that such a comment emerged from the Tory party. Especially after their adoption of such a “rent a racket” approach to any debate that they populate in numbers.

If such a comment was made, it appears reflective of the Tory party’s overall attitude towards a greater part of the country. If the MP responsible is clearly identified they should offer a sincere apology or be sanctioned. Notwithstanding, the impact on the electorate of the reported remark is unlikely to be undone.

David Nelmes

Newport

Quite simply, the Dutch election results show the stark reality of collective memory loss. Clearly, too many voters have forgotten to notice the mess we are in over Brexit and believing in third-rate politicians! Hopefully, Geert Wilders, will not become the next prime minister, but if he does the voters and enablers in other parties will only have themselves to blame.

Robert Boston

Kent