THE EVENTS in the Ukraine and elsewhere have led to rises in food and energy prices. The risks in supply and security of these essentials shows beyond doubt the need to produce as much as possible of these necessities in this country.

The lessons of the first and second world war, the actions of OPEC and other potential cartels appear to have been forgotten.

The green policies regarding energy and farming have been exposed as farcical.

Much of our agricultural land has been re-wilded. This has forced us to import food from abroad. Likewise, our reliance on foreign energy supplies places us at the mercy of unpredictable foreign powers.

Britain has the capacity to be virtually self sufficient in cereal and vegetable crops.

Similarly, we have failed to access shale gas. We have closed many coal mines. Nobody will deny that we must encourage and ultimately produce our power by renewable and nuclear power. But we will not have sufficient capacity for at least a decade.

In the meantime, we must be able to meet our needs in a secure, affordable and reliable manner.

Richard J. Szypulski

Lavender Street

Brighton