We need a Labour government for the many and not the few

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

Food banks are being used in record numbers (Getty Images)

Words cannot say how much I agree with the words of former prime minister Gordon Brown when he talks about severe poverty here in one of the richest countries in the world.

People need to wake up to this issue or it will only get worse. At least under Labour, you had Sure Start and tax credits to help guard against this. Sure Start went quickly under Cameron and now tax credits are being replaced by the far more rigorous universal credit under Sunak.

At least under Labour, you had social housing to help the deprived. Yet now it’s all about targets for housing, with low-income homes seemingly lost to history.

Food banks are being used in record numbers. I used to run a small one in a church in Leigh Park but it was a fraction the size of the main one in nearby Havant where demand remains higher than ever.

Only this week, the Peace Centre in Hampshire, which is run by our local Labour councillor, provided another hundred food parcels to anyone referred or self-referred on my estate.

Even soup kitchens are as busy as ever with people reliant on them for that warm meal to provide them with nutrients which they can scarcely afford because of the cost of living crisis. So I praise Gordon Brown for taking a stand on this crisis. I praise everyone who gives their time and effort to help those not so fortunate but this is a problem that won’t go away under a government more bothered about cutting taxes for the rich than providing bread for the few

What we need is a Labour government for the many and not the few.

Geoffrey Brooking

The S-no-wman

You mention no snow on Christmas Day. I’m not surprised as it never stops raining where I live. I’m hoping we get at least one dry day next year.

Alan Reid

Barrow

We should show the world we mean business

Our nation has lost the diplomatic skill of “speaking quietly but walking with a big stick”. This is in part due to several years of defence cuts. The latest example is that of our response to threats to Guyana emanating from Venezuela.

When the unacceptable threats were made by Venezuela the UK should have immediately despatched maritime assets that showed we meant business. A carrier and landing platform dock (LPD) with embarked marines would have fitted the bill.

Sadly, the carriers are still not fully equipped with strike aircraft and both our LPDs are in deep maintenance.

We are belatedly sending HMS Trent an offshore patrol vessel already stationed in the region. Better than nothing, but it doesn’t square with Roosevelt’s dictum.

Yours aye,

Admiral Lord West of Spithead

House of Lords

Brianna Ghey’s family have shown remarkable strength

Esther Ghey, the mother of Brianna Ghey, who was brutally murdered in February (News, 24 December) shows remarkable strength to use the money raised from “The Brianna Ghey: Peace in Mind appeal” to support mindfulness training within schools within the UK.

This will greatly benefit all students and hopefully avoid the tragedy which Ms Ghey is dealing with.

Kartar Uppal

Sutton Coldfield

We deserve a proper state pension

Seasonal greetings to all readers, as well as best wishes for the coming new year. We are writing to express our deep concern about the current state of UK pensions and the retirement age, an issue that we believe requires urgent attention and reform.

We, as a small social human rights group, have a solution to alleviate this problem: we are calling for a decent state pension to be paid to all upon reaching the age of 60. It is disheartening to witness the struggle that elderly people face due to woefully inadequate state pension provisions. The financial challenges experienced by retirees across the country are a national disgrace and demand immediate action.

The current state pension falls far short of providing a dignified standard of living for our senior citizens. It is essential to acknowledge the invaluable contributions that these pensioners have made throughout their lives and to ensure that they are not left in financial distress during their retirement years.

Furthermore, the pending decision to raise the retirement age has placed an additional burden on our elderly population. Many individuals find themselves in the unfortunate position of having to work well into their later years, often in physically demanding jobs, just to make ends meet. This is not only detrimental to their health and wellbeing but also unjust, considering the decades of hard work and dedication they have already contributed to our society.

We strongly believe that lowering the retirement age back to 60 would be a significant step toward rectifying this issue. It would not only provide relief to those struggling in their later years but also acknowledge the changing dynamics of the workforce and the impact of prolonged working lives on individuals’ physical and mental health.

The failure to address these pressing concerns not only affects the individuals directly impacted but also reflects poorly on our nation as a whole. We must prioritise the survival of our elderly population and take measures to rectify what is increasingly becoming a national embarrassment. We urge your readers to consider these issues seriously and advocate for meaningful changes in pension policies and retirement age regulations.

It is our collective responsibility to ensure that our seniors are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. Thank you for your time and consideration. We trust that you will sign this vital petition, so important steps can be taken to address these concerns and work toward a fair and just system for our elderly citizens.

We would strongly urge all readers to read and sign our petition. This petition will close in the new year but watch this space because it will rise again in a slightly revised form, we will persevere until we have over a million signatures.

Angela Templeton, Karen Burns, Dave Fabian, Denver Johnson, Marion Wilson Thomas, and Michael Thompson