Better mental health support could help avoid tragedies like Sydney

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

These horrible events make the public fear all people with mental health issues (EPA)

The tragic killings in Sydney come not long after the Nottingham stabbings, where the perpetrator in both instances had mental health issues. Of course, the care systems in both these cases appear to have failed.

The wider point I would like to make is that these horrible events make the public fear all people with mental health issues and continue to ensure that they are discriminated against and given few opportunities. This is solely because the media never tells any stories of the good and positive contributions people with mental health issues make every single day. This must change. Rather than writing off the mentally ill as villains, we must look at why the system fails them.

Richard Whiteside

Halifax

Not so ‘Grand’ National

There is nothing noble in forcing horses by means of violent whipping to run at perilous speeds around a track and in dangerous proximity to one another.

They suffer horrific fractures, head-on collisions, pulmonary haemorrhages and a myriad of other dreadful injuries that lead to the same outcome – their untimely deaths at the hands of humans.

Whether it be entertainment, food, fashion or experimentation, animals are living, sentient beings – not playthings for us to exploit and kill.

Mark Richards

Brighton

Before going after Rayner, the Tories should look inward

I was under the impression that the Tories had sufficient problems of their own rather than dredging up questionable dirt on shadow ministers.

The campaign kicked off with Michael Ashcroft in his bookmaking accusations about Angela Rayner and her housing arrangements, but when that came to nought James Daly picked up the baton and asked GMP to re-investigate even though they had previously found that there was no case to answer.

In a week when it has come to light that the DWP are pursuing home carers who have made minor errors in their benefit claims, it would seem that anything that distracts from the Tories’ internal problems – such as an MP sharing colleague’s phone numbers with a blackmailer, or yet another resignation from the front bench – is worth a try.

I would suggest that the government try to govern the country and address some of the many and varied problems that they have imposed on us little people, instead of playing politics (badly).

David Felton

Crewe

The last thing we need is more big cars on the roads

I am staggered by the content of the letter from Richard Grant. Is he so unaware of climate change and its principal causes? The “tyre print” of mankind is right up there with jet travel and the uncontrolled burning of other fossil fuels that is causing this now rapidly developing disaster.

We can understand (but not necessarily agree) with politicians not wishing to embrace the necessary but unpopular policies needed to produce real change. It is, however, breathtaking to realise that there are so many out there who still want bigger cars. Particularly as I would imagine that the majority of visits to the supermarket are by a single driver.

Anything that discourages larger cars is to be welcomed. Indeed, let’s do away with this whole concept of out-of-town shopping, and concentrate on providing more bike spaces. Electric bikes and more bike lanes are the way ahead – both for the health of the world and of the individual.

Alastair Duncan

Winchester