Tory inequality

David Cameron, has declared that differential benefit payments may be made depending on which “region” the claimant is domiciled. This is a preview of what life will be like under a Tory government that does not have the influence of the Liberal Democrats to moderate it.

Clearly this is a not too disguised attempt to reduce the benefit bill for the “regions” while protecting the Tory heartland for similar cuts.

If Mr Cameron wants to play the demographics of “regions”, then he is into a very dangerous game. You reported (29 June) that Scots live two and a half years less than their English counterparts. With the increased retirement dates, it means that on average English pensioners enjoy about a third more in pension payments. Does Mr Cameron propose to increase English National Insurance contributions by a third to balance this inequality?

Michael N Crosby

Muiravonside

By Linlithgow