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Young deserve a break

Martin Wicks makes some very good comments (Apr 23) about how the young generation are struggling to cope with high house prices and rents in Swindon.

He blames the Right To Buy scheme as one of the main reasons for creating the shortage of council houses. It seems that 8,000 council houses have been sold in Swindon and this has made the housing waiting list very much longer for young people.

There has been a corresponding rise in the number of people using the private rented sector, where prices are high and the tenancies are not secure and usually only six months to a year.

My opinion is that the young generation are the flower of the nation. All young people deserve a decent home to raise their family. It is in eveyone’s interest to help the young generation to make a good start in life.

The best possible start we can give them is that they should have a decent place to live.

Steve Halden, Beaufort Green, Swindon

Nothing to celebrate

“It brings a smile to my face and we should all be proud and happy,” said one lady interviewed by the BBC on the birth of yet another royal baby. How can the birth of a baby born into a life of privilege and immense wealth give us reason to celebrate?

I can think of many reasons for a celebration, eg the end of racism and the ending of persecution. A world of utopia I may be living in, but the birth of another royal baby gives me no reason to be proud and start a celebration.

Mr W Thomas, Ferndale Road, Swindon

Name and shame

Why should people have to put up with children shouting abuse at them. They should be named and shamed. Don’t cover up their faces (Advertiser20th April). I remember years ago when people were told you must not smack your children. A friend of mine then said “Now there will be trouble.” How true was that?

MG Morgan, Swindon

A convenient store

We live in Swindon but use Highworth Coop twice a week. We find it very convenient, friendly and helpful. We’ve never had to queue long and shelves are always stocked. 

Wendy Tait, Swindon

HRH is not racist

I see in one of the weekend papers that Prince Charles has been accused of a racial gaffe when he met a writer of Guyanese descent who was born in Manchester and claimed he said, “Well you don’t look like it.” He then laughed and moved on.

The writer, Miss Anita Sethi, said that she was ‘shocked and humiliated’.

My answer to that is that, it is a statement of fact and not a racist gaffe, so if you are offended by that, get a life.

There are far more important issues surrounding us to be offended by. Some of us can look back at the old shows like The Comedians’with Charlie Williams who came out with similar statements and we all laughed.

People are too easily offended these days!

Chris Gleed, Proud Close, Purton