SO we look forward to the progress of recovery from the turmoil that has been caused by the Covid-19 virus, and how it has impacted on all our lives.

But will it ever be the same again? Have we truly learned anything from the trauma of the past 18 months or so?

Or, are we still as immune to change as we were before, believing “growth” is the imperative that spurs us on towards “a better world”?

Our first priority must be to redefine growth, reduce waste and recognise new sources of wealth creation.

Is this government and this country, which is hosting to major events later this year (firstly the G7 leaders of the world in Cornwall in June, and the world conference in Glasgow, Cop 26 in November, on attaining the most modest of targets in abating global heating), really prepared to take action and not simply issue statements which are botched together for their audiences in their home countries?

We should immediately declare that we will be a carbon neutral country by 2030 and set a new higher target for reduction in global heating by the same date.

Don’t let future generations suffer for the failure of current governments and voters to address the problem.

(We need leadership from the politicians in a manner that JF Kennedy did when he went to Germany some 60 odd years ago with the breach of the Berlin Wall and declared “Ich bin ein Berliner”).

In addition, the government here has declared that it intends to increase the warheads on its ageing Trident submarines by some 25 per cent.

What madness is this when we are major signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, whose emphasis since the 1980s has been reducing the weapons of mass production in the world, not increasing them?

We should declare immediately that we should shelve our nuclear weapons programme altogether, and use our freed resources to promote growth in growing markets for wind turbines, on and off shore, as well as increased use of solar power to heat our homes etc.

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Taunton has a crisis of its own, one which is really a microcosm of the world above.

Its town centre is deserted, many shops unlikely to open again, its visitors dwindling in numbers because of the lack of things to do and its people distrustful of their own politicians.

Add to this the extraordinary waste of money on projects they are currently spending, allegedly on our behalf, and you get a grim picture.

It could be so easily improved if our MP, who has the Environmental Portfolio at Westminster, really exercised her not-inconsiderable influence to bring this to the Cabinet’s attention.

Her column in the County Gazette on April 1 sadly leads me to believe that she is only paying lip service to her seniors.

Be brave Rebecca, and don’t hide behind the coat-tails of Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Dominic Raab.

But maybe the column, as it was posted on April 1, simply was an April Fool... or I am the one who is?

JEFFERSON HORSLEY
Taunton