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Back gay Christians 

DES Morgan writes again about gay marriage; oppose it, support it, who knows?

It isn’t clear to me why he takes umbrage at my suggestion that he is opposing gay marriage as his letters have clearly opposed it, albeit the church-sanctioned variety.

As it happens I agree with his conclusion that “the issue is about breaking down social constructs developed over time and replacing them with so-called (sic) modern, pluralistic and progressive practices.”

The social constructs Des talks about have had an appalling effect on countless lives. Many years of struggle have broken down some of them.

Gay Christians deserve our solidarity as they work to change the rules of their church so those rules don’t bolster inequality.

And they would reject Des’ characterisation of their campaign as an attack on their church.

Des’ suggestion that the issue as a balance or clash of the rights of two groups is incomplete.

While gay Christians are arguing for the removal of barriers to how people choose to live their own lives, the anti-gay marriage camp is seeking to interfere in the lives of others.

PETER SMITH, Woodside Avenue, Swindon

Are you against me?

RE JEFF Adams’ letter of March 8, he quotes from the Bible and is against gay marriage, and would be against myself as I am a proud transsexual.

Having had my operation decades ago I now have a birth certificate saying my birth is female and I can legally marry a male.

Does this mean Mr Adams would also be against me, as I am LGBT? If Mr Adams needs any training about LGBT I would be happy to give some.

Mr Smith’s letter on March 10th was refreshing as someone who understands equality.

HELEN THOMPSON, Kimmerfield Court, Swindon

Vote on weapons

I HAVE returned from visiting friends in South Africa, a non-nuclear country. To the detriment of the UK’s public services the Tories are committed to spending £20bn on renewing Trident. They constantly tell us that Trident is needed to defend the country against ‘aggressors.’ Who are these aggressors?

As our public services are in crisis isn’t it time the £20bn was put into the NHS, schools, housing etc?

Maybe we should have a referendum on what the money should be spent on - public services, or weapons of obliteration. I think I know which way the public would vote.

Did I lose any sleep in South Africa in the knowledge I was not ‘protected’ by nuclear weapons? No. As the adage goes, ‘you can’t hug a child with nuclear arms.’

MARTIN WEBB, Swindon Road, Old Town, Swindon

Not so many customers

CN Westerman offers an interesting view of the reasons why a CEO of a car manufacturer such as Peugeot might wish to make cars in an EU country (SA March 11).

He starts by repeating a falsehood as great as any we heard during the referendum campaign, which is that the purchasing population of the EU is 440 million or that the number of people forming a prospective customer base in the UK is 60 million.

Total population does not equal the potential market place. The canard that the EU market is 440 million (or even more) is a nonsense. What is of greater importance is the purchasing power of the consumer and in that respect a number of countries would not feature as a prime market opportunity.

Would Romania, with a population of less than 20 million and a GDP less than half of the UK, be an attractive market place for a Peugeot 3008?

Multi-national organisations are very adept at managing their businesses with the end intention of maximising profits, and Brexit is not likely to create too many insurmountable issues.

What I am sure of is that the CEO’s of PSA et al will use the excuse of Brexit to justify actions which they would have taken and for which they may well have been roundly criticised.

DES MORGAN, Caraway Drive, Swindon

Your call Mrs May

LAST June I voted as a British citizen to leave the financially corrupt European Disunion which has destroyed a continent - youth unemployment is on a soul-destroying scale and there are terrorist attacks all over Europe, previously unprecedented in peacetime.

The British government is issuing national insurance numbers to all and sundry on entry to our island, opening up our benefits to them without contribution.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, a multi-millionaire, is destroying the hopes of the backbone of our country - the self employed - by excessive taxation, which helped to create his wealth.

I have had enough of these idiots, from Cameron to Osbourne, lining their well-filled pockets at our expense while implementing the bedroom tax on the poor and needy and closing down handicapped innocent children’s venues.

My point Prime Minister May? Time for a change madam. It has taken you nearly a year to do something I personally would have implemented forthwith, Article 50.

It’s your call, or take the consequences of your indecision at the ballot box. It’s the one thing you all fear, the voice of the people you are supposed to represent.

BILL WILLIAMS, Merlin Way, Covingham, Swindon

Has Blair no shame?

I WAS incensed to read that Tony Blair was at the memorial to those who lost their lives in Afghanistan.

Has the man no shame or conscience? He must know how his presence would upset those that lost loved ones over there I don’t know what annoyed me most, him turning up or those that invited him in the first place.

CAROLE GLEED, Proud Close, Purton