The abuse of young Syrian refugees is the inevitable consequence of a poisonous far right

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The footage of the assault of Jamal, a 15-year-old Syrian refugee living in Huddersfield, is beyond disgusting. It shows Jamal being held down by his abuser who pours water into his mouth in a sick imitation of waterboarding torture while he boasts: “I’ll drown you”. The scene was filmed on a smartphone by a tittering accomplice who encourages the bully to “go for it!” It has now emerged that Jamal’s 14-year-old sister was also attacked by them.

Jamal’s family fled from the besieged city of Homs and Syria’s bloody civil war to find safety in the UK. What they found was racism and racist violence.

No one is born a racist. Where did the person who attacked Jamal learn to hate refugees and foreigners?

It should surprise no one that the bully tormenting Jamal has shared racist social media posts by the neo-Nazi group Britain First and by the hate preacher who calls himself “Tommy Robinson”.

Sasha Simic
London

May ignored trade and it has cost the UK

The whole Brexit campaign was based on a referendum called by a man, David Cameron, who could not conceive that it might turn out the way it did. When he resigned he was replaced by an incompetent woman, Theresa May, who almost lost an unnecessary election and had no desire to get out of the EU. She embarked on a campaign to please both sides of the debate. An impossible task. She and her supporters think they know better than anyone else and believe their time in charge has given them a greater understanding of what is good for the people.

Unfortunately she has now put our country in a chaotic situation with her subservient attitude to Brussels so that the very future of our country in in doubt. As trade is the most important factor in our dealings with the EU it should have been top of the agenda not to be discussed in the transition period as is the case now. I doubt if bringing Theresa May down at this late stage would solve the problem considering the position she has put the country in so it may be wiser to accept her deal and trust future leaders will stand up to the EU and release us from its grip.

William Scott
North Berwick

Politicians needs to be held to account for lying

President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen has admitted to lying to a group of politicians – the congress and as the president says of Cohen: “He’s got himself a big prison sentence.” What about the reverse, politicians who lie to the people?

There are a number of previous cases where politicians, even presidents, have been accused of lying. President Clinton stated, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky”, for which he faced impeachment although this did not eventuate. President George W Bush stated in relation to the difficulties in Iraq, “Mission accomplished” although history has seen it in a different light.

It is easy to suggest that politicians lie and The Washington Post website states that “President Trump has made 4,229 false or misleading claims in 558 days”. The presidential term of four years suggests that this would lead to about 11,000 or 22,000 false or misleading claims over eight years if re-elected. Based on this information, if this was Pinocchio then his nose would reach to Mexico and beyond, straight through that yet to be built wall.

Let those that lead us, lead us in the truth.

Dennis Fitzgerald
Melbourne

Why is the international community silent on Yemen?

I am a former Gurkha and a veteran of the first Gulf War.

Britain sends weapons to the Saudis and collects huge revenue.

The world knows that the Brits and Americans have been selling weapons to the Saudis and others, to kill thousands of innocent women and children in Yemen, for the money.

Yet the so-called the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC) funded by the taxpayers’ money is too incompetent to bring down these cold blooded murderers to justice.

Yam Gurung​
Watford

Thatcher is a deserving £50 winner

Not so long ago it was argued that we should get rid if the £50 note as it was only really used by crooks, money launderers, tax dodgers and other ne’er-do-wells. Is it therefore appropriate to suggest Margaret Thatcher as a suitable face to adorn the new note?

You decide.

G Forward
Stirling

Tainted by commendation?

I see that Liam Fox has now given his support to Theresa May and her withdrawal agreement.

Surely this now spells the end of the agreement and probably Ms May as well?

Robert Boston
Kingshill​