Comment on Prime Minister David Cameron Launches the Tories Big Society Plan by Mrs Joan L. Hobday.

Sir,

Forgive me if I appear blinkered but I do not understand why, when the country, indeed, the world is undergoing economic meltdown, bankers and similar financiers continue to receive huge bonuses and rewards.

I have worked all my life in education (teaching) and brought up my four children and paid for my property along the way. It has been jolly hard and just when it is time to reap the benefits I am told that I won’t be doing so.

Investments have ridiculous interest rates, we would do better to keep our pennies in a tin box under the bed and then the financiers couldn’t have them for their ‘rewards’! Oddly, I don’t recall receiving a bonus when I worked hard.

Houses will not sell and youngsters cannot get on the property ladder because in this day and age it is nigh on impossible to save up £30k + or similar to find the deposit. How therefore can you extol the merits of marriage and family life when two people cannot afford to get married and buy a house? Yes, they can rent – but how do they find the £££ to pay for the deposit and pay the rent at the same time? They will be in their fifties before they can afford their first back to back!

I am sure bankers work hard (as did I)and I am sure they have responsibilities (as do many) but why can’t the Government step in to halt the payouts these people receive when the people they are supposed to be proud to serve (their customers)are losing money hand over fist with low interest rates, cannot obtain decent mortgages and the housing market is in a resulting plummeting spiral? I would genuinely be grateful for an explanation which actually gives me a coherent answer and with respect, not simply the whitewash of the party line.

In addition, why are we, “All in it together,” when we haven’t ‘all’ caused the problem? In fact I would go so far as to say that it is a minority of the population which have contributed towards the economic problems we face with the majority falling foul of the penalties.

Why should those who have grafted their socks off all their lives on good incomes but not huge incomes suffer as a result? The child benefit cuts won’t affect me, my children have flown the coop, but it will punish many who simply don’t deserve it.

Education, qualifications, job progression become somewhat farcical endeavours because as soon as those who ‘did their homework’ from primary age begin to reap the benefits of many years of diligence, their ‘icing’ is whipped away from them to pay for fat cat fancies. It simply does not equate with the ‘fairness’ you talk about.

If we want a fairer society then let us also look after those who put strategies in place throughout their lives to take care of their futures (ie savings, retirement plans, property investment) and not watch blindly on whilst a minority in this country shave off a lion’s share of other peoples’ investments.

Were it not for those who worked all their lives and put money into the banks, the bankers would be in rather a cleft stick would they not?

I love my country. Always have and always will but we must address fairness in all its guises Mr Cameron and not turn the other eye to the ‘old boy’ network as factions of it continue to rob the rest of us blind!

Until we impose more fair remuneration policies throughout all occupations and professions, we will never have a collegiate society, our housing market will never recover, unemployment will increase and our economy will continue to dip and dive.

The essence of a healthy, honest and vibrant society is recognisable in the atmosphere it exudes and currently the atmosphere in my country is jaded and carries much worry and those who with no compunction whatsoever continue to cream off the best for themselves ought to be downright ashamed.

You currently run the UK Mr Cameron and it is to you I put my concerns.

Values Sir, are applicable to all.

Kind regards.