Letter: Tory lessons

Returning from the march against public sector cuts in Edinburgh on Saturday, it was interesting to note the media coverage of David Cameron's backing of Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, who said the unemployed should "get on a bus" to look for jobs.

These comments echo Norman Tebbit's infamous suggestion during 1980s that the unemployed should follow the example of the Tory grandee's father and get on their bikes to find work.

While the government acknowledges almost 500,000 public sector workers are set to lose their jobs as a result of the cuts, the belief that these will somehow be replaced by jobs in the private sector is delusional.

The latest figures for Scotland suggest that there are 28,827 vacancies being advertised in job centres north of the Border. However, total unemployment is 129,964 when using the claimant count measure of joblessness, meaning there are more than four people chasing each vacancy on these measurements.

By echoing the words of Norman Tebbit it is clear the Tories have not learnt the lessons of the past.

ALEX ORR

Leamington Terrace

Edinburgh