IT’S small wonder public sector workers went on strike.

Their pay rises have been, in the main, below inflation rates for the best part of 30 years and now their pension rights are under attack.

However, next time there is industrial action of this sort, can the trade unions factor in what is on the agenda of most pensioners, and that is their basic state pension?

It is increasing to £107 a week next year, when it should be nearer £170 a week.

Asides from this, Britain is without a hi-tech manufacturing base, hence imports exceed exports.

Also, Britain is saddled with vast expenditure on overseas follies such as the EU (membership of which now costs us £50m a day) and funding countries that demanded to go independent about 50-60 years ago.

The sad truth is that this country has become welfare-driven and not economic-driven and so, until there is a return to a real work ethos, we will remain in the doldrums, the situation getting worse.

Where are the real leaders in Government with any idea of what to do?

Leaving out cynical metaphors, Cameron, Osborne, Miliband, Clegg and Balls are merely shifting the deckchairs around the Titanic. What we need are more lifeboats!

JOHN MADEN, UKIP, Oxford