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Your support makes all the difference.As part of the pullout arrangements in 1997, Beijing agreed with the UK to a 50-year period of non-interference in the affairs of Hong Kong. Unenforceable in practice, this arrangement was based largely on trust. As a long-term resident of China from 2000 onwards, I was personally witness to systemic breaches of those conditions on both sides of the border. From kidnappings of Hong Kong booksellers, kangaroo courts, visa denial and the crushing of democracy in the special administrative regions, Beijing’s acts of bad faith are numerous, well publicised and need no further autopsy.
Our government now seems happy to again trust China in the form of Huawei, a company with genesis in the army – and by extension, an arm of the Chinese state apparatus – to roll out a 5G network here, potentially compromising British national security. Yet May and Co assure us that sensitive data is immune to any external threat, despite importing foreign expertise to set this up, because the Chinese are ahead of us on telecoms. What am I missing?
And far from reflecting on the lunacy of this move, the government’s sole concern appears to be how news of it was leaked. There’s surely a punchline to all this.
Mike Galvin
Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
The police should ask for rape victims’ phones
The language being used in the discourse on the handling of rape allegations is prejudicial.
Stating that a rape is “reported” carries the clear implication that it occurred – the process always starts with an “allegation”.
At the point at which the allegation is made and throughout the subsequent process leading to a verdict, the accused is innocent in law and may also be innocent in fact.
The proposition that any actually or potentially germane evidence should be withheld, on any grounds, is contrary to reason and the fundamental principles of justice.
The public, the media, police, CPS, lawyers, judges and juries must adhere to positions of immaculate equipoise between accuser and accused. Any deviation fatally undermines the administration of justice.
Steve Ford
Haydon Bridge, Northumberland
We can afford to cut down on flying
What is wrong with rationing business and pleasure flights? After all, we now have Skype and digital signatures.
Rachel Greenwood
Bewdley, Worcestershire
The bus routes scandal
James Moore claims (Voices, Saturday) “The decline in bus routes the Labour leader has identified under the Conservatives really ought to be a national scandal”.
Well, I have news for him, it IS a national scandal.
Throughout England, local authorities have for several years been – in desperate efforts to save cash – slashing subsidies to rural bus services, resulting in numerous communities being cut off from access to public transport.
This may be of little consequence to wealthy car owners who quite likely don’t even notice. But for the less well off, the elderly, the unemployed, or otherwise carless citizens, the resulting isolation is often devastating.
The current system for providing bus services outside London relies on the largess of commercial companies whose priority is to make a profit.
Consequently, routes are abandoned and whole communities left isolated. This is clearly unsatisfactory. Any future administration must sort out this appalling consequence of the so-called competitive market.
Bus services are a social service, not a cash cow for profit orientated business.
Steve Edmondson
Cambridge
Let’s get tougher on Farage
Finally I have seen a media interview where Nigel Farage was properly held to account. Today on LBC, Iain Dale asked the searching questions about how the Brexit Party is financed. How can you ensure that you haven’t received donations from overseas when you are getting most donations via PayPal? Why are you being coy when it comes to who gave you a large donation?
Farage and his former Ukip colleagues have railed against a lack of transparency from the European Union. Yet when the ball is in their court they refuse to be open and honest.
We need more interviewers like Dale if we are to ensure that politicians are properly held to account.
Chris Key
Address supplied
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