Rachel Reeves needs a chance to get our economy and our society on the right footing as both need rebalancing.

We have had 14 years of inadequate government by politicians of doubtful integrity, inward-looking policies designed to help business people with little regard for society as a whole and therefore the disadvantaged are getting poorer and the rich, richer.

There have never been so many food banks. Climate change has been largely ignored, with Tories still planning to dig for oil, quick wins, whilst not making solar panels on roofs mandatory. Developers paying them? The cost of living for ordinary people has rocketed but means nothing to millionaires.

To those businesses who are complaining about the minimum wage and national insurance increase, I would say it's payback time - you were among those who were helped considerably during the pandemic (as were pensioners with a temporary boost to winter energy payments) and the result was the UK's debt increased hugely. Small businesses remain unaffected by the national insurance increases.

We all need to contribute to building up this decimated economy and we all need better public services which have been allowed to wither. Some larger manufacturing businesses making millions are threatening to outsource to India or China rather than pay to help the UK as a whole return to economic stability. If they do so they will be reducing vital growth in this country and contributing to slave labour conditions abroad making yet more millionaires in India or China both of whom have questionable employment practices.

Take the long view and support society - contrary to Mrs Thatcher's famous remark there is such a thing - and one day we may not need quite so many food banks.

Mel Lawrence,

Southampton Road,

Whaddon

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