Tuesday's Letters: VAT rise's 'disproportionate' effect on the less well-off

Unfortunately, this does not take into account inflation since the re-introduction of the 17.5 per cent rate. Take the increased cost of road fuel. At the end of 2010, the total VAT intake per litre was about five per cent higher than when the rate returned to 17.5 per cent.

As for the notion that but for this the increase might have been avoided, I suggest he listens to Mr Cameron, who says it is here for the long term.

Alan Johnson's comment piece (Yorkshire Post, January 17) used the word "dogma" and we are seeing this more and more in coverage of the Government. For those who think the Tories have changed, this mostly applied throughout their term of office between 1979-1997.

I call this attitude "look after those who can and be damned to those who can't". The Government has cancelled the one per cent National Insurance increase payable by those who can afford it, and imposed a 14 per cent VAT increase on everybody.

Perhaps even Mr Chapman can understand this as a grossly disproportionate effect on the less well-off. This is precisely what Ed Miliband was talking about.

Jayne Dowle (Yorkshire Post, January 10) clearly demonstrates this same attitude under the heading, "Flu failure takes us back to the dark ages of care", when she reminds us that the Health Protection Agency is being axed as part of the bonfire of the quangos, and that far too many decisions have been rushed and ill-thought with a focus only on the bottom line.

And, finally, that Ministers seem intent on dismantling the NHS bit by bit over the coming months.

David Cameron says strikes by hard-hit workers will achieve nothing, at the same time as he is caving in to blackmail by highly paid bankers. Can a leopard change its spots? I don't think so.

From: W Smith, Sutton-on-Sea, Lincolnshire.

From: Barrie Frost, Watson's Lane, Reighton, Filey.

THE poor performance of many bankers has contributed to the dire financial position which Britain is in.

Their cavalier attitude when trusted with other people's money has reversed the respect previously earned by their predecessors, and the obscene salaries and bonuses did not secure our prosperity but, instead, resulted in Britain's taxpayers having to bail them out.

Now these same bankers have apparently forgotten the help they received and are, in effect, resorting to blackmail by contemptuously demanding huge bonuses with the threat of going "elsewhere".

Well, I don't believe many companies with businesses "elsewhere" will be too enthusiastic in employing people with such a record of incompetence; people whose main achievements have been in creating enormous debt.

Our competitors are not that daft; the belief of these bankers that "elsewhere" is some kind of paradise desperately eager to secure their talents is pie in the sky.

If, however, bankers did somehow convince others their employment would be a desirable asset, this could be to Britain's advantage, giving us a two-fold benefit. We will have got rid of overpaid failures and, at the same time, foisted them onto our competitors who will have to suffer the repercussions of their dubious talents.

'New Deal' to give jobless a future

From: Brian Ormondroyd, Brindley Court, Skipton.

AN editorial (Yorkshire Post, January 22), expresses deep concern about the cuts facing our police services. It goes on to say "Of course, severe cuts in public spending are essential".

What dangerous nonsense. ConDem cuts will lead to an estimated one million people being put out of work and transferred from employment and into the benefits system. This at an estimated cost of 1.5bn to public funds.

This ignores the despair and misery of being unemployed. One million young people are on the dole and face an entire life without work or purpose.

When the US faced similar problems in the early 1930s, President Roosevelt introduced the New Deal. Millions were transferred into essential public works, dam building, conservation and much more.

In Britain, we need better railways, large-scale energy producing schemes, the renewal of manufacturing, fishing and farming to cater for the increasing national and world population. We will face greater demands for public services, health, police and education.

Thus we can transfer folk from dole and despair to a positive and gainfully employed future. We could start by providing pensions for all at 60, creating room for our youth to play a part in our society.

Reading matters

From: Mrs G Irwin, Bachelor Gardens, Harrogate.

I WISH to express my concern regarding the closure of local libraries and was pleased to see the article by Ian McMillan (Yorkshire Post, January 15).

The Public Libraries and Museums Act of 1964 creates a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive service. We hear constantly of the poor standard of reading, literacy and communication, and yet the greatest foundation for this provision from cradle to grave is to be removed from so many of us.

Travelling to the next available service can be expensive, time consuming, or even out of the question, depending on age and ability.

Libraries are also a hub of the community, bringing people and groups together, helping to cement the community.

I feel very strongly about this problem, and hope all who feel the same will express this.

From: George R Hill, Main Street, Shadwell, Leeds.

THANK YOU for the article by Chris Bond (Yorkshire Post, December 22) about Shadwell and the potential closure of Leeds libraries by the city council.

Ian McMillan (Yorkshire Post, January 15) eloquently describes his love affair with books and public libraries. I am much older than Ian, and my infatuation stretches nearly 40 years further back. His tribute to what we both love was very moving.

A relevant topic involves the current furore about higher education and tuition fees, the alleged difficulties this will cause so-called "disadvantaged students" and the adverse effect of this upon professional and social mobility.

I challenge the politically correct view that until a few years ago education and learning were wastelands of ignorance. Having been there at the time, I assert this is not true. This letter cannot encompass the enormous improvements achieved during the first three-quarters of the 20th century, beginning with the establishment of municipal grammar schools in its first decade and the development of many scholarships at all levels of education thereafter.

In the 1970s, political parties of all persuasions destroyed municipal grammars, and I date our country's educational, economic and social deterioration from that time.

The relevance to public library services of these developments was that they were central to the success of this progress. Not many people still alive will remember Leeds Central Reference Library in the 1920s, '30s, '40s and' 50s seething with students, preparing themselves for academic and professional qualifications.

The staircase of the approach used to be grey with tobacco smoke. No doubt today we would all have been arrested as health hazards. But, nevertheless, we made it.

Closing public libraries would be as great a sin and disservice to our country as the closing of municipal grammar schools by an earlier generation. It must not be allowed to happen.

The importance of history in a modern world

From: Jennifer Hunter, Farfield Avenue, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.

BILL Carmichael's piece about education (Yorkshire Post, January 21) hit the nail firmly on the head several times.

In particular, my attention was drawn towards his comments about his favourite subject, history. Having been taught my country's history from pre-Christian times in a chronological manner, I can still remember key dates and events, which led to a greater understanding of the development of contemporary Britain.

Learning history also provided me with a greater understanding of the development of my own language, English, as well as explanations of my country's customs and traditions.

Human nature remains fundamentally the same, regardless of the historical period. Analysis of past behavioural patterns enables people to gain a greater understanding of contemporary events.

For example, Oliver Cromwell dissolved Parliament in 1654 because he felt that many MPs behaved in a less than acceptable manner. I am not suggesting that today's leaders should repeat that procedure.

However, a similar situation could arise if a substantial number of parliamentary representatives were found guilty of abusing their privileges. If unacceptable behaviour was not tolerated by Cromwell during the 17th century, it should not be deemed acceptable now.

Human characteristics such as the love of wealth and power may, and often do, lead to the downfall of individuals as well as groups of people.

A chronological approach to history presents students with the information which enables them to recognise the beginnings of an ideology or an empire, and chart its progress, decline and ultimate demise.

Over the years, empires have been created which embrace a particular ideology. Once an empire has established itself, its leaders tend to adopt an expansionist policy. When the empire becomes so large that its omnipotence becomes difficult to maintain, it disintegrates.

I feel very sympathetic towards teachers who have been subjected to continual change and its associated pressures. However, I fully endorse the Education Secretary's proposals for reform in schools because I have witnessed teaching methods taking precedence over content in recent years.

Today, many young people generally lack fundamental knowledge, and not only where history is concerned. Many demonstrate a distinct lack of prowess in other core subjects.

I also believe that greater emphasis should be placed on foreign language teaching because learning a language (as well as learning facts and figures) requires self-discipline and perseverance.

Johnson a man of the people

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.

I HAVE never been a supporter of the Labour Party, nor of socialists, but I did respect Labour MP Alan Johnson, whom I liked because he seemed to speak a lot of common sense and in a way that was easily understood. It is a shame he feels he must resign from frontline politics because of "family reasons" (Yorkshire Post, January 21).

If he had been in any other job bar politics, he could have taken some time off work to sort out his private affairs, and then returned to normal working hours.

Sadly, all forms of the UK media delight in raking over every aspect of a politician's life, and that is why we get so very few good, decent men and women in British political life.

Colourful comparisons

From: Richard Billups, East Avenue, Rawmarsh, Rotherham.

I SEE that Ed Miliband is being called Red Ed by Blue Bernard (Yorkshire Post, January 19).

According to Bernard, the man who's changed political colour more times than the traffic lights on Wellington Street, readers must beware of Red Ed because if he gets the Labour Party in power, it could be bad economically for us.

I'm 70, and in my lifetime the only time this country faced meltdown was when blue bankers brought us to our knees.

So, Blue Bernard, why aren't you warning the Yorkshire Post readers of the real danger? I see you never called David (Chameleon) Cameron the Eton Mess. Perhaps that's too much of a colour change.

Water works

From: Mrs Patricia Whelan, Hudswell, Richmond.

REGARDING "renewable energy" (Yorkshire Post, January 21), the tides always turn and rivers run downhill – but the wind does not always blow.