I HAVE a lot of respect for our Labour MP Rachael Maskell, but her opposition to stag and hen parties is not supported by me. 
She says residents have had enough. Well I don’t believe that for one minute. York residents have the best vibrant atmosphere in our lovely city. We have the best of restaurants, lots of wine bars and cafes and hotels.
While locals may not use the hotels as much a visitors we certainly are spoilt for choice with pubs and eateries.
York was dead during Covid, we do not want those days back again - we want visitors, lots of them, and if they are young and want to get married, so what? 
If visitor numbers were reduced and we lost the £10 million they (the stag and hen parties) bring to our economy, the residents should expect closed premises, and a rise in Council Tax to cover that.
So Rachael, please do not support this silly idea we don’t want you following Liz Truss with no thought where her ideas lead.
Stuart Wilson,
Vesper Drive,
Acomb, 
York
----
Nurses deserve better pay
THERE is no doubt about the vital role the NHS plays in all our lives. It is hard to imagine life without this bedrock of our nation to care for us when we are at our most vulnerable. 
Nursing staff make up more than half of the NHS workforce, but they've been pushed beyond their limits. Patient care is at risk. 
There are a record number of nursing vacancies, and 25,000 nurses left the profession last year alone in the UK. At the end of June, NHS figures show 6,050 nursing vacancies across the North East and Yorkshire.
For the first time in our history, Royal College of Nursing members working for the NHS in every part of the UK are considering strike action. Patients are our priority – and we must advocate for them. 
This year is worse than ever, and the UK government has no plan to improve things. Our members tell us that care given to patients is regularly compromised because there are not enough nursing staff.  
Patients deserve better. They deserve safe and effective care. They deserve dignity. They should not have to fear that when they need them, nursing staff won’t be there.  
Without fair pay, we will never solve the problem of staffing shortages. I will be urging our members to use their voice and vote for change. 
On behalf of the nursing profession, I ask you to support nursing staff as we take these steps to protect nursing and protect patients. To add your name to our petition, go to: www.rcn.org.uk/pay.  
Roy Tomlinson
Board Chair
RCN Yorkshire and the Humber Region