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Hostility no surprise

Should we really be surprised by the recently released UN report which informed us that since the EU referendum in 2016, racism and intolerance towards migrants and perceived migrants has risen in British society?

From 2013 until the referendum took place, at which time UKIP was at its peak and the right-wing tabloids were gleefully giving Farage many column inches for him to spout his bile towards migrants, sadly his rhetoric galvanised several SA correspondents who appeared to get great satisfaction in echoing his bigotry

Not to be outdone by Farage, the then Prime Minister David Cameron decided it was time for himself to blame and demonise migrants for the ills and woes in Britain, and who can forget Theresa May’s abhorrent mobile billboards in London which told so-called “illegal immigrants” to “go home”.

The result of the referendum has seen a rise of 42 per cent in racist attacks, of which the main targets have been Muslims and Eastern Europeans. When we have a government that wants to create a hostile environment should we really be surprised when our environment becomes hostile?

Martin Webb, Swindon Road, Old Town

Barrie is spot on

If there is one journalist I can rely on to brighten my day it is Barrie Hudson, and his latest piece of penned wizardry really did make me smile “Oi! Get out of my parking spaces’ (SA 15 May).

Barrie has a knack of getting to the heart of an issue in a manner which doesn’t give offence but challenges the reader to think about the subject matter. Above all Barrie makes people smile as they identify with the picture he presents of common day happenings. Who hasn’t stood patiently in a queue only to be confronted with the person who only upon being told the price of their shopping decides to ‘look for their purse’ or can’t find their credit card and when they do they can’t remember the pin code?

As for people suddenly stopping to chat in the aisle – two shopping trolleys blocking the way – how exasperating and how very true. It’s akin to the person walking along the road while talking on their mobile phone, who for no apparent reason just stop walking – no warning, no arm signals, no nothing – they just stop. Keep up the great journalism Barrie.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive, Swindon

No beauty in weeds

I noticed as l circled Greenbridge roundabout today that it was covered by huge unsightly weeds.

Not only is the roundabout dangerous when using the slip roads in/out of the retail park, it’s also much slower, due to traffic lights that turn red, stopping your progress at every section. Now the enormous bank of spotlights surrounding the roundabout is merely lighting up the weeds at night. There is no beauty in that.

L Day, Swindon