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It's your shout.... Readers' Letters

Do you remember the demise of HP sauce a couple of years ago when Heinz, having taken over the company, moved the operation to Elst in the Netherlands? I’ve never bought HP Sauce since.
Now we have exposed another iconic British brand to plunder from overseas: Cadbury’s.
I bet John Cadbury, who set up the company on philanthropic Quaker principles, is turning in his grave.
What annoys me is not the buying and selling of companies across countries (after all, the British own far more assets and companies overseas than foreign companies own in Britain, so we gain on balance).
What really annoys me is that the British government let Royal Bank of Scotland, a bank saved by the British taxpayer, a bank which you and I own, lend Kraft the money.
Kraft as a result carry a huge debt burden which will increase the likelihood that Cadbury employees will be on the receiving end of staff cutting measures.
The Conservatives may call Cadbury’s workers “whingers” but the staff can see what’s coming. Kraft unfortunately have a history of soothing words at takeover-time, followed by ruthless asset-stripping.
They bought Terry’s of York and, having promised to keep the firm’s headquarters in York, where it had been since 1767. After a few years they shifted production to Sweden, Poland and Slovakia. Hence it’s not called Terry’s of York and more: just plain Terry’s.
I cannot understand why, when British companies are crying out for financial help, the Chancellor couldn’t get RBS by a tender part of its metaphorical anatomy and force it to do the right thing: lend where it will benefit the British economy.
There are also failures of corporate governance that need to be addressed. What sealed the fate of Cadbury was not the generosity of the Kraft bid, which fell well below what the Board wanted or what independent observers judged to be a fair value.
It was the hedge funds that bought large stakes - almost 30 per cent - and used their votes to gain acceptance of the bid. They have no interest in the long-term future of the company and its employees but saw an opportunity to make short-term gains from shares that appear temporarily under-priced.
Britain is unusual in allowing a simple 'one share, one vote' to apply in company law. There is a strong case for curbing the voting rights of those investors who invest entirely on a short-term, speculative basis. Maybe shareholders should get voting rights only if they have held shares for at least a year. I will be considering this issue in detail during the short time left in this parliament; I think Britain's businesses are being sold short.
Lorely Burt
Lib Dem MP for Solihull

In the article on the front page of this weeks Observer re greyhound racing I notice that Stephen Rea the general manager of Hall Green Stadium omitted to mention that although the injury rate may be low during the actual racing there are hundreds of greyhounds disgarded when they are no longer able to run and therefore no use to the owners. These greyhounds are still quite young and their owners dispose of them in often cruel and totally unacceptable ways which are too horrific for me to describe to your readers - all this suffering in the supposed name of "sport".
J M Hives
Solihull

In response to the coverage of the two greyhounds that were killed at Hall Green Greyhound Stadium, I believe, the general manager, Mr Rea's comments to be both ambiguous and vague.
For example, he states that, 'the recent bad weather had played a part' in the dogs' deaths.
Why then did he allow racing to take place in such bad weather conditions?
This also contradicts his earlier statement that greyhound racing is, 'extremely well regulated.'
Surely racing in adverse weather conditions demonstrates a total lack of disregard for the dogs welfare and therefore contravenes so called regulations.
Furthermore Mr Rea's comments are incorrect and misleading about the people who regularly hold peaceful demonstrations outside his stadium.
He refers to them as, 'not very nice people who make up stories and continue to disrupt the sport.'
These people, which includes children, parents and grandparents, endure all weathers leafleting and holding placards in a bid to educate the public about the serious issue of the thousands of greyhounds that are put to death each year, as a direct result of the racing industry.
These dedicated people have no need to 'make up stories', the leaflets they distribute provide genuine press reports and documented evidence of cruelty within the greyhound industry. What's more these people do not disrupt the 'sport' as Rea claims, because they never enter the stadium.
Evidently it seems that Mr Rea and the greyhound racing industry get upset by press coverage of greyhound cruelty, as it exposes the hidden truth to the public.
Ms C E Aston
Solihull
Via e-mail

Upon reading your article about Greyhound racing I would most certainly welcome a law being brough into force.
It is a very cruel industry. To quote the comments of the track manager at Hall Greeen Stadium that Greyhounds have been bred for racing for hundreds of years surely highlights the argument that it is outdated and has no place.

I refer to you article about greyhound racing and the photos of campaigners.
Are the public aware that greyhound dogs are among the most abused animals in our society.
They are bred solely for profit.
Tthe racing of these dogs can and often does 'line the pockets' of breeders and trainers by vast amounts of money.
Why else would they go to so much trouble to fight off the campaigners who are against this cruel sport.
The two dogs that were mentioned in your article as having died should not have been used in such adverse weather conditions.
And their demise is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to greyhound deaths and abuse.
Greyhounds are bred for the track. A bitch gives birth to up to seven puppies on a regular basis and many of these puppies meet an untimely death at just a few weeks old because they are not considered by breeders to be fit for purpose.
It stands to reason that not all puppies meet the desired grade but I for one have never seen a greyhound puppy advertised for sale in a pet column.
How many of your readers have when they think about it?
But there is a tremendous amount of advertising for homes wanted for 'retired' greyhounds usually around the age of three (if they are lucky enough to have survived).
Many dont ever reach that stage.
There are good re-homing centres (and they are needed) but do supporters realise that these homes are owned by the racing fraternity.
They formed the Retired Greyhound rehoming centres in order to fool the public that they care about these dogs, After all if they can find homes for just a fraction of these beautiful animals then they must be caring people mustn't they?
That's what they want us to believe.
The volunteers are excellent people who take care of these abandoned dogs very well.
Perhaps this will open their eyes to the truth of why the dogs are there in the first place
The racing fraternity and this charity are one in the same - going round and round in an ever viscious circle.
It's time to wake up and stop the abuse of these lovely creatures. Racing should and must be banned as other cruel 'sports' have been.
If it were to be banned I wonder how many greyhounds would be bred just to be pets.
name and address supplied
Solihull

We complain and implore people to stop going to countries like Spain because of the cruelty involved in Bull fighting.
But here we are in a civilised country going to places like Hall Green Stadium to spend a couple of hours watching and betting on Greyhounds racing around a track after a false rabbit, but don’t fully understand it is as cruel as Bull Fighting - especially when we see dogs being carried off the track and then a Vet having to put to sleep a dog, which before the race was a perfectly healthy dog.
Let us put a stop now to this barbaric and unnecessary form of amusement and abolish this sport immediately and help set an example to other countries we mean what we say. And perhaps by doing so we will also stop the race owners of this sport from dumping their dogs when they are no longer useful into over full dog sanctuaries to be re-homed or got “rid” of by other means.
Mrs White
Solihull

So the track manager at Hall Green Stadium reckons that there is a risk element in greyhound racing like any other sport does he?
There certainly is to the greyhounds involved. Initially there is the risk of how long they will survive.
Many pups are killed shortly after birth by breeders because they are considered unsuitable.
If they survive long enough to race they will frequently get injured and they will be considered too old to race by the time they are three years old.
Their chances then of living a normal doggie existence are small as so many other dogs are also looking for good homes. As a result of this many ex-racers are killed by shooting, poisoning, even drowning.
Many poor creatures are shipped abroad where conditions can be even worse than in the UK.
The only remedy to end this suffering is to boy cot the race-tracks. Give these dogs the respect they deserve and stop supporting those who make money by the exploitation of greyhounds.
Yvonne Troth
Solihull Animal Aid

I have so much respect for the people that are standing up for the voiceless animals at Hall Green Stadium.
The trainers/owners will always deny cruelty and wrong doing as the protesters will always accuse them of exactly that.
Personally I think it is obvious that the animals are treated unfairly, maybe not the dogs that win but what about the dogs that don't win?
If there are no issues then why have www.retiredgreyhounds.co.uk just rehoused their 50,000th dog?
This isn't just people racing their family pets.
These creatures are treated as disposable toys or money making machines and the moment they are broken, or not performing to standard, they are killed or tossed aside for someone else to pay and care for.
The welfare issues about dog breeding was also recently in the news calling for tighter regulations and for good reason.
It is time that Hall Green Stadium moved out of the dark ages and closed down.
Dogs, horses, chickens, in fact all animals have the right to a peaceful pain free life and not to be bought and sold like slaves.
In this day and age we shouldn't be relying on animal abuse to provide entertainment.
Do not support or ignore the cruel practices that go on at racetracks by spending your money there or placing bets, there's always something else to waste your money on.
I hear that the final of 'Big Brother' is coming up, they might be silly creatures in that house, but at least they had a choice.
Fiona Sylva
Bills Lane, Shirley

Now the worst of the winter weather appears to have passed, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff, who have done their very best in difficult conditions.
Our gritting staff have been out and about day and night, endeavouring to keep our roads safe, and the traffic moving.
We did a lot of planning before the winter weather hit us, and ordered more grit this year in order to cope. We’ve had to be careful with its use, and while in an ideal world we’d like to be able to grit every road in the borough, that simply is not possible and we’d quickly run out of grit, with little prospect of getting more.
There have been some days that have been more difficult than others - let’s not forget we are at the mercy of the weather forecasters – but we’ve managed to keep our A and B roads and bus routes moving for the majority of the time. This is a great achievement, and I cannot speak highly enough of our gritting team.
Although not part of my cabinet responsibilities, I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank our school staff who have worked with us to minimise the number of days our schools were closed – there was only one occasion where all the borough’s schools shut - along with our refuse collectors, who have done their very best to catch up with collections in often tricky conditions.
Of course, there will be those who believe we could have done more, and we will be looking at how we’ve responded over the past few weeks to see if there’s anything we can improve upon in future years.
Finally, a thank you to the people of Solihull, who have shown patience and understanding during the past few weeks.
Councillor Ted Richards
Cabinet Member for Transport and Highways

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