14
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015 LEICESTER MERCURY
OPINION
mercury
MERCURY
OPINION
Falling inflation
is good news
THE UK inflation rate fell to just 0.5 per
cent in December, which is the joint lowest
on record.
Inflation as measured by the Consumer
Prices Index fell from 1 per cent in November to its lowest rate since May 2000,
mainly helped by cheaper petrol prices.
Low inflation is expected to mean lower
interest rates for longer.
There are some experts worried by the
trend as it could herald deflation, which can
reduce demand and bring recession.
This, frankly, seems unlikely and, therefore, it is another economic reason to be
cheerful.
Prices are rising very slowly and, hopefully, you are one of the lucky ones whose
wages have risen by more than 0.5 per
cent, so have more money in your pocket.
Getting it right
The Leicester Mercury always strives to publish news
and information fairly and accurately with no allegiance
to any political party and without discrimination.
If you have a complaint about an item in this newspaper
which concerns inaccuracy, intrusion, harassment or
discrimination – or wish to comment on any other aspect of our service – write to the editor, Kevin Booth.
If you are still dissatisfied you can write to the
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established to uphold an editorial Code of Practice for
the Press.
Kevin Booth, Editor
Leicester Mercury, St George Street,
Leicester, LE1 9FQ
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Green
10%
Lab
13%
Con
14%
PICTURE OF THE DAY
UKIP
33%
Lib Dems
27%
THE BIG
QUESTION
Who has
moment?
Q vote at theyour general election
Tomorrow’s big question: Are the latest
bus price rises fair?
To take part online at:
leicestermercury.co.uk/TheBigQuestion
Religion not
in decline
DR SIMON Bennett of the University of Leicester incorrectly
stated (First Person, January 9)
that “religion is in retreat”.
That is true of Christianity in
the UK but not of Islam.
The 2011 census showed that
although Christianity is still the
dominant religion in the UK with
over 50 per cent of the population regarding themselves as
believers, this might be set to
change. The British Muslim population has surged dramatically
over the past 15 years, increasing
by 15 per cent in England and
Wales. The 2011 census also puts
the Muslim population of the UK
at around 5 per cent, a total that
has been boosted by around
600,000 Muslim immigrants over
the past decade.
With the expansion of Islam
and an aging Christian demographic, this could mean that
Islam could be the dominant
religion in 10 years.
Is it not any wonder that Chris-
FRENCH police officers carry the coffin of officer Franck Brinsolaro, 49, killed at satirical
magazine Charlie Hebdo, during a ceremony to pay tribute to the three police officers
killed in the terrorist attacks in Paris, last week
tianity is in decline, when Christians are persecuted for saying
prayers with hospital patients,
preaching the Bible’s scriptures
in the street, wearing crosses and
chains to work, printing T-shirts
and refusing to make wedding
cakes in order not to cause offence, without the Church of
England publicly, boldly and
legally defending such vulnerable Christians? Christianity and
love of thy neighbour needs,
more than ever in my lifetime, to
be defended, difficult though it is
to love everyone.
Dr Bennett should retract what
he has written for Hinduism,
Sikhism, Buddhism and Judaism
according to the same census are
also on the increase.
George West, Groby.
Everything
is man made
I HAVE to reply to Peter Anderson’s letter “I found answers”
(Mailbox, December 25).
Yes, life is survival of the fittest,
partly, but also about caring for
the sick. Life or human nature is
one big Jekyll and Hyde, good
and bad.
I should point that some women I knew claimed to be believers, went to church, but were two
of the most vulgar and selfish
women I’ve met. They still clung
to their religion, though. It was
drummed into them and it made
them feel right and proper,
hence the hypocrisy.
The next time you’re in one of
our beautiful churches just
remember everything inside is
man-made.
Reginald Dunkley, Leicester.
Wasted trip
AFTER seeing the half-page advertisement (Mercury, January 9)
for the film Mr Turner showing
at the Regal Cinema in Melton
Mowbray, we decided to go and
watch the 5.30pm showing on
Saturday the 10th.
Drove the eight miles, paid for
parking, queued on a steep,
draughty staircase for 20 minutes
and then in the joint queue for
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