February 4 Letters: Political failings that have left us facing a grim outlook

tory Chancellor George Osborne, having failed miserably to reduce the financial deficit and public sector borrowing, has the audacity to boast that his policies have resulted in economic growth of 2.5 per cent for 2014.

This is erroneous, as the capitalist economic cycle upturn resulted in this meagre growth figure. Alarmingly, manufacturing industry which provides employment for the majority of people showed little or no growth. The bulk of the growth being in services, such as banking and finance. A sector that cannot sustain reasonable standards of living for a population approaching 60 million, even if modest growth was sustained.

The outlook for Britain is, therefore, grim. With falling living standards and social care provision continuing to be a permanent feature of our lives, there needs to be a radical change in government policies.

Such change includes massive investment in productive industries. Increased wages to stimulate consumer spending and increased apprenticeships in meaningful engineering trades. This, to be paid for by non-replacement of the Trident nuclear missile system, an anachronism in today’s world.

Withdrawal from the EU would also result in massive public purse savings, as would the cancellation of the HS2 and HS3 rail links – the benefits of such schemes not being worth the money earmarked.

Finally, income tax on the highest earners would have to be raised to 60 per cent to preserve the Health Service.

From: Mavis Hollows, Pickering, North Yorkshire.

I AM shocked by Mr Osborne’s aim to build a new warship every two years as well as new combat ships expected to be ordered later this year. I understand that £100m is to be spent at Portsmouth for facilities for the two new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers now being built.

The challenges of the 21st century are surely to improve the NHS so that they do not have to cut corners to meet targets. More money is desperately needed for social care too.

From: Barry Foster, High Stakesby, Whitby.

I DON’T know about anyone else but I am dreading the coming weeks when we shall be bombarded by politicians promising heaven knows what if we vote for them. For the first time in my adult life I simply do not know where to cast my vote.