Letter: Why work?

Letter: New Labour's recycled mantra of "a future fair for all" merely translates into robbing Peter to pay Paul, and has undermined the incentive to work hard to provide for one's own needs. Far easier to sit back and reap the rewards of others.

Of course, this is quite unsustainable, but from a political point of view this virtually guarantees the votes of the recipients.

Take for example the glut of non-means tested services enjoyed by those living in devolved parts of the UK as opposed to those residing in England.

But is this "fair" on the diminishing number of net contributors? Surely endeavour should be rewarded?

We need to regain a genuine sense of fairness.

Short-term political incentives have created a benefits-led culture where those who are prepared to work or save or take responsibility for there own welfare are increasingly penalised.

This is neither fair or democratic. I converse frequently with my eastern European neighbours, ambitious and industrious people, whose work ethic is such that at first they simply can't understand why the British are reluctant to work for a living. But they're learning fast.

Ironically, although they relish the fact that EU membership has allowed them admission to the relative freedoms and affluence of our country, one of their main fears seems to be that having just escaped from generations of communist oppression, Britain is about to fall into the same trap.

A J Willetts

Craven Arms