Speaking of ‘Britain at its very best’, slipping away seemingly almost unnoticed was the RAF’s last surviving Victoria Cross winner, Flight Lieutenant John Cruickshank VC, who died last week aged 105.
Almost 30 years ago at the Yorkshire Air Museum we were privileged to welcome as guests and speakers, John and his fellow Scot, Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid VC. John had been a Coastal Command Catalina pilot and Bill a Bomber Command Lancaster pilot. ‘Britain at its very best’ indeed.
Derek Reed
Middlethorpe Drive
York
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Remembering ‘Bop’
Recalling the great days of live music in York, who remembers New Earswick “Bop” in the 1960s? I saw Pink Floyd perform there with the late Syd Barrett and their amazing laser show, also Procol Harum sing The Whiter Shade of Pale. I saw The Alan Bown Set many times and The Mandrakes with the late great Robert Palmer as their lead singer. There were some great gigs at the “Bop” in the 60s.
David Stephenson
Wasdale Close
York
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Don’t take any notice
Whilst not being a supporter of the Party in question, I have a great admiration for Rachael Maskell (an experienced politician) who has stood up so admirably for her constituents in York on many occasions when seated on the green benches in the House of Commons.
My message to her is – Rachael, please take no notice of the request by Dr Scott Marion, PhD student with an expertise in the areas of ‘spin,’ for you to resign. Just consider changing your allegiance to another party that will appreciate your considerable political experience and ability and dedication for your constituents here in York.
Mary Morton
Hob Moor Drive
York
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Delay due to dithering
I must call out the statement by Labour’s York Outer MP, Luke Charters, that the Liberal Democrats ‘failed to gain sufficient funding to deliver Haxby Station’. For the critical period in question, Luke was a London councillor, only popping back up in York shortly before the General Election, so perhaps a history lesson is needed.
In 2019, the Liberal Democrats secured £50,000 from the council to develop a new business case for a station, which led to investment to develop the project from the Government over subsequent years of £400,000, and then £1.1m and then another £2.1m to bring the project to a “construction-ready” stage.
In early 2024, full funding for the construction of the station was announced. All was progressing to the expected timeline, until July 2024, when the new Labour Government cancelled the funding. A decision backed by the York Outer MP, who called it a ‘sad reality’.
Following this, the Lib Dems launched a petition, calling for funding to be reinstated, which has now recently been (re)announced. For the York Outer MP to now claim this reinstatement as a personal success, after a lost year of progress, is laughable. Without Labour’s dithering, construction would already be underway on the new station, but we are now facing an opening date in 2028 – an unnecessary three-year delay.
Lib Dem Cllr Andrew Hollyer
Oak Tree Court
Haxby
