Readers have been talking about the latest on the Duffield Beacon row.

A plan launched by members of Workington Town Council to change a monument to the steel industry has drawn ire in Parliament.

Workington MP Mark Jenkinson criticised Workington Town Council’s Independents during business questions in the House of Commons last week.

Reader Bobby Frost posted: “Speaking of Vulcan Park, what’s Jenkinson doing about the youths that are terrorising the town centre at the moment?

“More police, he says. Well where are they?

David Smith added: “Jenkinson sat on the council for years while Workington Hall, Jane Pit and Harrington Marina all got underfunded and left them in a state.

“He is unfit to be our MP and got in because of Brexit. Roll on the next elections.”

Loz Hayton said: “Jenkinson is jumping on the bandwagon, Mogg is sticking his nose into the industry they trashed, and the right-wing independents are choosing what monuments to protect or rip down.”

Mr Jenkinson claimed in the Commons that independent councillors had launched a “sham” consultation on the fate of Workington’s Duffield Beacon on “fictitious” health and safety grounds.

Jacob Rees-Mogg criticised the local government: “There is nothing worse than pettifogging bureaucracy trying to stop a local monument being lit and used and admired and enjoyed. He’s absolutely right to bash his local council for this silly behaviour.”

Councillor Paul Scott, leader of Allerdale Independents, said: “It was simply a case of moving it to a location where it could be lit and not cause damage to any property.

“It’s not a political issue, it’s whether we light a beacon 30 metres from a hospital that currently has an end-of-life ward.”

In response to criticism about protecting heritage, Mr Scott pointed out “almost £225,000” is needed to repair the Jane Pit memorial.

“Maybe we should look at what heritage we want to survive.”