At the end of the killing and destruction of the war, the surviving returning members of the armed forces, of whom I was one, hoped for an end to the social system that we as children had endured, looking for a society based on social justice and not devil take the hindmost.

Working-class families, such as mine, lived before the war under conditions that would have horrified any of the present generation. We suffered the social and economic neglect of Tory governments and, despite the general admiration of Churchill, a Labour government was elected, mainly because of the refusal of that generation, including the returning soldiers sailors and airmen, to accept the living conditions created by former Tory governments, and later by the frightful Thatcher administration.

This country, of course, still has problems, but for the last 10 years we have had a government whose efforts have been directed into creating a society that cares for the poor, whilst attempting to keep an intelligent balance between economic probity and providing hope and care for the under-privileged; a society with a health service that is the admiration of Europe and is attempting to provide an educational system not divided by social class.

I have grandchildren, and I should hate to see a system based on pennies for the have-nots and as much as you can grab, for the socially elite.

Harry Levy (ex-RAF), Alwoodley, Leeds