Opinion and Comment

Wednesday, 04 January 2012 12:40

Written by Editor

David Earnshaw, Benalmadena                     By email

As a regular customer of The Mooring, I have always been more than happy with the food there, and I go because it is quite unmistakably homemade. Having lived on this coast for over 20 years I have seen many bars come and go and understand how difficult it must be for the owners. If ever I was not happy with a bar, I simply did not return ... one man’s meat .. as they say. I find it incomprehensible that someone could be so mean spirited as to try to cause a vendetta against a business as such. Bars work so hard through the summer seasons and bravely struggle through the winters, I don´t understand why someone would want to destroy what good people have sunk their life savings and dreams into. These cheery places always provide you with a cold beer on a hot day and a hot snack on a cold night, and should be applauded for their tireless goodwill.

I wish all the bars on the coast a big thank you  and a successful 2012.

Editor´s response: The News agrees wholeheartedly with your sentiment, and wishes all bar owners a successful 2012!

Costa Del Gospel, Mijas Costa                       By email

After noting your information regarding Christmas bank holidays in Gibraltar in issue 155, we decided to make the journey with elderly relatives and to visit our bank on Tuesday 27th December. Only to find that it was a BANK holiday and every business, apart from one small café and one pub, was closed! A wasted journey costing precious money and resulting in two disgruntled OAPs thanks to mis-information.

Editor´s response: We are very sorry for the inconvenience this caused you. As Christmas day fell on a Sunday, Gibraltar took the 27th in lieu of Christmas day, which is an usual occurrence and an oversight on our behalf.

However, the Gibraltar government recommends that visitors contact them first before planning any trip, as holidays in Gibraltar can be subject to arbitrary changes by local authorities at the the last minute.

Brian Cave, France                                            By email

This is an open letter to David Lipsey:

Our  verbal exchange on Tuesday 27th December 2011 on Radio 4 has engendered a good deal of response.

A note on the expatriates and British economy. You made very strongly the point that 'representation' is linked to the economy and taxation   It is not, I may add, a view shared by the Civil Service:

1.  This last year I and my wife have purchased from or within the UK electric fencing, a microwave cooker, trousers for myself  and my wife, a pullover, books, a considerable number of presents for family and friends. In the previous year – two sofas amongst other minor stuff.  British VAT is paid on these purchases.
2. The majority of expats have British bank accounts. Yet I observe it is almost impossible to open a new account of any kind in the UK if you are an expatriate.
3. Many have property in the UK and pay local property taxes in the UK.
4. Probably some 250,000 expatriate pensioners pay all or much of their income tax to the British Government ex-military/police/teachers/etc.
5. Over one million, three hundred thousand pensioners receive State Pensions from the British Government.
6. Great numbers have savings/investments in the UK.  Great numbers receive private pensions from the UK.
7. Many who have overseas jobs have children at school in the UK and pay school fees there.  I would also observe that many people in Britain who are foreign nationals, pay British income tax, VAT, Council tax etc. but have no representation in the British parliament.  Moreover a large number of others pay no income tax (those on lower incomes for example) but are represented  in parliament.     Thus it is that the link between economy and representation is historically weak – though many claim, as you yourself claim, that it should be strong. And indeed its failure, as it is often remarked, led to the independence of the USA.

The link between the national government and the people of the nation should surely be strong and two-way. The national government is the servant of the people, not the other way about.   If it is not, then we have a form of dictatorship!

Most expatriates do not want to be a burden on the British State but they should have appropriate representation – someone who understands their needs as British citizens in a foreign land, and as citizens subject to British laws, and  that when matters which affect them or are of interest to them as British nationals, are discussed, that their views are considered and they can in some manner be consulted – this is called 'democracy'.

For this reason I?have composed a ‘discussion paper’ which I?attach for your consideration. 

We expatriates are part of the British nation and need to be respected at home.