YP Letters: Rebellion in ranks as IDS turns on Cameron and Osborne

REGARDING the stand-off between Iain Duncan Smith and David Cameron, one man had a successful career in the British Army and commanded a company in the Brigade of Guards. The other, after an immensely privileged upbringing, left Eton and Oxford and chose not to do voluntary service or a spell in uniform but to go into PR, which is little more than spin writ large.

I know which one I would rather trust and believe.

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

FRICTION in the Tory party is good news only for Jeremy Corbyn. David Cameron should learn to hold his tongue before lashing out at Iain Duncan Smith. By being critical of a man who has principles only demeans his own position.

David Cameron and George Osborne are coming across as arrogant in their decisions to reduce benefits to the disabled. Before doing so, they should look to the waste in the administration in their own government departments as well as, the equally wasteful, overseas aid payments.

From: Bob Swallow, Settle.

I AM not a political animal, yet I was appalled by the Budget announcement concerning the benefits to be taken from some of the disabled and effectively given to higher rate taxpayers.

The latter will not notice the small increase in their tax allowance. Yet, to a disabled person, the reduction in their benefit might well be the difference between survival or going under. Well done Iain Duncan Smith. Watch out for a U turn on this matter two weeks before the EU referendum.

From: Terry Palmer, South Lea Avenue, Hoyland, Barnsley.

IAIN Duncan Smith resigns his post because, as we all know, his party is prepared to take off the poorest and disabled and give to its millionaire friends, with Duncan Smith saying the cuts to disability benefits were “not defensible”.

No matter, another member of the party, Stephen Crabb, couldn’t wait to jump into the job so obviously he thinks these cuts are defensible, and not only that, this new welfare minister was actually brought up by a single mother on benefits on a council estate.

From: Barrie Crowther, Walton, Wakefield.

WITH failed EU negotiations, immigration policy, foreign aid, and the shambles of disability payments, David Cameron is fast catching Tony Blair, and Ted Heath, as the worst and most arrogant PM in living memory.

From: Martin Crowson, Market Place, Leyburn.

IAIN Duncan Smith was an excruciating embarrassment as leader of the Conservative Party and a shambolic Secretary of State. Now this nowhere man resigns from the Government over a trumped up row over benefits, parading faux indignation to show himself a man of the people.

The truth is Iain Duncan Smith couldn’t care two hoots about working people, about Nissan workers, about families paying off mortgages. His single obsession is with leaving the EU and he is prepared to gamble the livelihoods of the British public, the prosperity and unity of the country, and the peace and security of Europe over his Little England fixation.

Of all the reasons to remain part of a community of 28 democracies, the sight of Mr Duncan Smith in an almighty sulk hardly comes near the top. But stop and think for a minute; this man is one of the most prominent Brexit campaigners.

He is not a leader. He is not a visionary. He has failed to produce any answers to the questions being asked about the consequences of leaving the EU. It’s time for history to say “no” once again to this nowhere man.

From: Andrew Pearson, Park Lane, Roundhay, Leeds.

THE Saturday Essay by Elizabeth Peacock and your Editorial (The Yorkshire Post, March 19) were timely warning to the Tories that we are all becoming increasingly disillusioned with their political posturing and inaction, particularly on behalf of the least well off in our society.

Credit is due to Jeremy Corbyn for putting the Budget into its selfish perspective, subsequently confirmed by Iain Duncan Smith’s telling resignation.

I can see exactly where Mrs. Peacock is coming from. I would add three points:

1. Why have Member States allowed EU Accounts to be not signed off for over 20 years?

2. When Member States have had to impose severe austerity measures, what cost measures has the EU imposed? Very little indeed as far as I can see.

3. Why do they need two Parliament HQs?

I think we have an overpaid, overstaffed, corrupt bureaucracy, totally out of touch and unfit for purpose. You cannot take a degree in common sense, even at Oxford. Nor common decency either.

From: Dr Glyn Powell, Bakersfield Drive, Kellington.

CHANCELLOR Osborne’s latest Budget is a catalogue of his failed austerity policies. Public sector borrowing and national debt are way off targets set by him. The economy is declining with the key manufacturing sector in meltdown. To counter such a calamitous record of failure, what does the Chancellor do?

He dons the cloak of King John and hammers the poor and vulnerable to give tax cuts to business and wealthier tax payers. Instead of robbing the poor, Osborne should pull the plug on HS2, replacement of Trident and the building of nuclear power stations, thus saving billions and nullifying the need to penalise the disabled.

Failing this, the growing ranks of Tory rebel MPs should unite with the opposition to defeat these immoral measures.