Wearing a poppy is not a political statement — it’s a poignant way for all of us to remember Britain’s war dead
For Fifa to ban England and Scotland from wearing poppies on Armistice Day is illogical
Poppy poopers
WEARING a poppy is not a political statement. It’s a harmless and poignant way to remember Britain’s war dead.
You can honour those who lost their lives without agreeing with all the wars they were sent to fight. Many do.
It’s more political to refuse to do so because you object to those conflicts.
We on The Sun believe in the freedom to wear one, or not to.
For Fifa to ban England and Scotland from having poppies on their shirts on Armistice Day is crazy, illogical and should be none of its business.
Even the Germans aren’t bothered.
If Fifa cannot be talked round, we must ensure one thing: that Wembley on November 11 is an ocean of poppies.
Zero tolerance
WITH casual negligence, trucker Tomasz Kroker wiped out a family and wrecked his own life by illegally fiddling with his mobile. What would it have taken for him to treat that offence seriously?
The answer, we believe, is the prospect of an automatic year-long ban that would have cost him his livelihood.
It is time Britain had zero tolerance towards using a phone at the wheel.
It should carry the same penalty and social stigma as drink-driving. Calling, or worse still texting, can be even more distracting and have equally horrific consequences.
Yet its frequency is soaring as convictions plummet. That is an abject failure, both by police to catch culprits and of the existing penalties to deter.
The Government aims to double the fine to £200 and penalty points to six. It will not work. Only a potentially life-changing punishment will alter attitudes.
A ban and £1,000 fine would save lives, as targeting drink-drivers did 30 years ago.
RELATED STORIES
Eeyore to stay
WE have given some stick to the ceaselessly glum Bank of England governor Mark Carney — but we are not sorry he’s opted to stay until 2019.
We disliked him promoting Project Fear’s hysteria before the Brexit vote.
He has been guilty of dodgy forecasts and hasty actions before and since the referendum. Even now he dismally predicts that mid-2018 will be our “darkest days” following the vote to leave.
But Mr Carney remains a serious figure in a pivotal role and Britain needs stability. It would have been folly for Eurosceptic politicians to oust him to score a political point.
It is vital, though, that Mr Carney remembers how Britain voted on June 23 and the Government’s determination to see it through by the time he goes.
His every policy must be framed by that, not the deranged desire of his Remainer chums to rerun history.