Greedy universities, silent fright bikes and migrant de-influencers

If it isn’t about talent – is it about money? (Picture: Getty Images)

In today’s MetroTalk, a reader has written in, wondering why universities aren’t going after talented British graduates like her son.

With a degree in two medicine subjects – he should be the ideal candidate, right? So, why can’t he get an interview? Could it be because they can charge foreign applicants more?

Meanwhile, the silent menace on our streets, whether it’s fair to blame President Joe Biden for issues that already existed, shoddy road repairs and readers share what they think about the government paying TikTokkers to influence, or should we say, de-influence migrants from crossing the channel in dinghies.

Share what you think in the comments.

What about the skills the country needs?

Isn’t it time British universities looked after their own student citizens instead of going after foreign students who pay six or seven times more? They are simply grabbing money.

Our son has a master’s in genomic medicine and a degree in medical science but can’t even get an interview for a postgraduate medicine course simply because his student fees can’t match those of foreign students.

He has tried for three years now and doesn’t even get the courtesy of an acknowledgment. I thought we were crying out for doctors? Universities seem to be greedy. Philip Kent, Llandrindod Wells

I agree with Fred from Hampshire (MetroTalk, Mon) about too many people going to university. Where are the plumbers, carpenters and electricians… skills the country needs? Wendy, Enfield

Made to fail pot holes and what makes them worse

Pedestrian access obstructed by roadwork from utility company, UK. (Photo by BuildPix/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images)

Col Blake (MetroTalk, Wed) is quite right – pothole repairs are ‘made to fail’ by not sealing the joins with tar, as they used to, ensuring an ingress of water and an endless supply of work. Paul, West Sussex

Further to the road repair saga, no one has mentioned the utilities sector that digs trenches and holes that undermine the road foundation and weaken the surface slab, which has already been reduced in size anyway.

I suggest everyone keep an eye on and report them to the local authority if the repairs are done unsatisfactorily or sink later. Otherwise the money to repair comes out of council budgets. Ted, Reading

Any promised tax cuts can be financed only by public service cuts. In a country with crumbling social and physical infrastructure, as well as bankrupt councils that are destined to bear the brunt of the cuts, the result can only be more austerity Mike, Tyneside

Silent and deadly?

You won’t know until it hits you (Picture: Paul Elis/AFP via Getty Images)

Fred in London (MetroTalk, Wed) makes a good point about ‘silent’ electric cars and how they should be built to make a sound so we can hear them coming.

I was in a pedestrianised shopping area when a lady was knocked flying as she came out of a shop. She was hit by an electric cycle, the rider of which did not stop. Happily she was not seriously hurt.

In the same place, I have witnessed many electric bikes travelling at high speed among the pedestrians.

I worked out the time over distance of several riders and it indicated an average speed of 20 to 35mph – silently, of course.

Is it not time these silent or almost silent bikes – and scooters – were registered and their ban from pavements be enforced? Ken, Sheffield

‘I think you’ll find that wasn’t Biden, it was…’

Many wrongs don’t make a right… (Picture: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

What a strange world David from Durham (MetroTalk, Thu) lives in.

In his world, Joe Biden is responsible for the debacle of the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, although it was Donald Trump who fixed the withdrawal date, pressured the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban fighters from prison, and made no plans for the withdrawal.

Biden is also apparently responsible for China menacing Taiwan, which has been going on since 1949, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, despite the recent confirmation from Trump himself that he encourages Vladimir Putin in invading his neighbours.

Trump, says David, was also entitled to try to overthrow the constitution because nasty people tried to impeach him for acts including inappropriately disclosing classified information, condoning white nationalism and destroying public records. Martin, London

David says that Brexit was ‘the people’s will’. It was the will of 52 per cent of 
the population. Simon, Leighton Buzzard

David claims that, regarding Brexit, the ‘liberal’ establishment ‘will stop at nothing to thwart the people’s will’.

Well, the most ardent Eurosceptics refused to accept the result of the 1975 EEC membership referendum – they campaigned for Brexit until they got their way nearly half a century later. Alan Yearsley, Sheffield

I read that a number of artists have stopped Trump using their songs at his rallies. However, there is one track I’m sure nobody would object to him using – American Idiot by Green Day! Paul Robinson, Liverpool

TikTokkers to de-influence migrants?

‘Please, don’t come here.'(Picture: Getty Images)

I read about the TikTok influencers being paid up to £5,000 by the government to discourage Albanian men from trying to reach England by small boats – and thought it must have been an April Fool (Metro, Thu). Our country is on its knees and the NHS is in chaos. Why are we giving taxpayers’ money to influencers?

We need to get rid of this government and put Labour in place to sort out all this rubbish and waste the government is doing. It’s a joke. Yorgi, by email

This is a ridiculous waste of money trying to shore up an illegal and inhuman policy. Matt London

A ‘really brave’ game hunter gets gored and tossed by a buffalo after he shot it with an arrow (Metro, Wed). He is said to be happy to still be alive. Has anyone checked on the buffalo? Its revenge made me laugh at the arrogance of some and their attitude to killing. P Davies, Ealing

Some really good money-saving tips from Bargain Hunter (Metro, Mon).

I have been doing the ‘penny a day challenge’ – save 1p on day one, 2p on day two etc, but over six months (then starting again) rather than doing it for

a year because I find that makes it more achievable. Sara, Cheltenham

What are your thoughts? Have your say in the comments belowComment Now

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