'You can only hang me once' - Your Letters: May 12

There are many contentious viewpoints on the subject of the death penalty and strongly held arguments for and against. However, in debating the subject, there are arguments often used about deterrence that are clearly inaccurate.

Rhetoric – the reporting by the media of claims made that had the death penalty been in place when the Moors murderers had been killing children it would have acted as a deterrent.

Reality – during the period they were carrying out the murders the death penalty was in place. However by the time they were caught in 1965 the death penalty had been abolished.

Hindley and Brady would have been aware that if they were caught they would be hanged, thus it is a clear fact that it did not deter them.

Indeed studies carried out in the 1950s when abolition was being considered showed no evidence that the death penalty acted as a deterrent. There was evidence in several cases that the death penalty as a sentence could result in further murders because having killed the perpetrator might commit further murders, of police officers or civilians, in order to escape capture - the statement used being "you can only hang me once".

Roy Sheward, Wolverhampton

HOW TO SUPPORT CHILDHOOD DAY

Childhood Day is the NSPCC’s national day to fundraise and help keep children safe. 

On June 6, communities across the UK will come together for the NSPCC. 

Over 80 per cent of our income comes from those who choose to give to us and every pound raised will help us be there for children when they need support.

As well as our regular fundraisers and people donating at street collections, we are calling on small businesses across the Midlands to become a Partner in Business and support the NSPCC’s work through a donation, a one-off fundraising event or a year of fundraising starting with Childhood Day.

Dozens of businesses across the UK have signed up as a partner this year already, from all corners of the UK and from industries including tech, health, music, media, retail and education, and many will be holding special Childhood Day events to help support the NSPCC’s vital work.

Every £50 raised for the NSPCC could support families for two hours, £500 could fund a Helpline practitioner give 22 hours of support to adults concerned about a child’s wellbeing, while £4,800 could recruit, train and support three new Childline volunteers to speak directly to young people in their darkest hours.

If you run a small business in the West Midlands and would like to become an NSPCC Partner in Business this Childhood Day, please go to nspcc.org.uk/support-us/partner-with-us/partners-business/

Nathan Shrubb, NSPCC Partners in Business Manager

IS JUGGERNAUT TURNING COURSE?

Very interesting to hear an interview on national radio from ex head of MI6 (British Secret Intelligence Service) Sir Richard Dearlove - asked if he thought Nigel Farage could be the next PM - without hesitation and unequivocal he replied "Yes of course - he has the quality to be PM".

This follows up Dearlove saying Brexit was a positive for the future of the UK and Europe, as the UK returns to a mid Atlantic position, even with a Trump presidency. The intelligence and defence ties that bind with the US and UK are deeply ingrained and have been since WWII.

This echoes the sentiments a year or two back of ex head of GCHQ (electronic intelligence) Sir Jeremy Fleming being very upbeat and positive after Brexit.

So maybe the Whitehall establishment juggernaut may finally be turning course - inc the most important sectors in the defence, military and intelligence community. 'To protect and to serve', may be at last returning - especially during VE Day and celebration week.

This will all no doubt upset and irritate the old - neo liberal left legacy metroplolitan elite commentariat.

As for Labour and its declining decades, post industrial Britain, from Callaghan, Foot, Kinnock, Bliar, Brown and Corbyn to the new abysmal Starmer - just a thought - "Fanaticism consists in redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim" to quote George Santayana, Spanish-American philosopher.

Stephen King, Whitmore Reans

MY SADNESS AT DEMISE OF AGA

The whole sorry saga of the Aga Foundry began when the company was sold off to another overseas firm, which said it would continue to make the world famous cookers there. However that was not to be, and production ceased, as did the supply of spare parts.

What a good thing it would be if the foundry was forced to be rebuilt and production started again, so that Aga and Rayburn were once more made there. However don’t hold your breath that the buildings, wrongly demolished, but now ordered to be rebuilt, will ever resound to the sounds of cast iron stove making again, more’s the pity. One more British icon lost forever.

W F Kerswell, West Midlands

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