Complying with Mr Siret’s request for consistency (ViewPoints, June 12) I have to correct some of his assumptions.
This time, I have somehow benefited from “socialism” by living in a council house and, bizarrely, getting my education.
Publicly-funded social/council housing was started by housing acts of Parliament in 1890 by a Conservative government, and extended by another housing act in 1919 by a Con/Lib coalition government. Is the aspiration to own the house you live in and pay for so wrong?
Compulsory education was initially started by a Liberal government education act in 1880, enhanced by acts in 1902, a Conservative government, in 1918 a Con/Lib coalition government and in 1944 the Rab Butler education act, a Conservative politician, who introduced the most far reaching reforms of compulsory education.
I totally agree that universal, compulsory education should be publicly funded, however a university education is not universal.
So is it unreasonable to expect that those who benefit from it should also contribute to its costs when they reach a certain income level?
I accept that this is a controversial issue of which I have personal experience.
Every week, millions of people in this country benefit from public funded heath care and welfare. To suggest that individual deaths or mid-Staffordshire baby deaths are the result of this or any other government’s nasty policies is beneath contempt.
Finally, improvements in living conditions and social reform have never been the unique preserve of socialism.
Yes, I am happy to continue to wear the hat of alternative views and opinions to Tim's extreme form of socialism.
IAN CUMMINGS Gibson Close Abingdon
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