For me the question we should be asking is, “What are we to make of governments, which over the decades, have allowed government debt to rise to such a high level?”. In the first quarter of 2018 Government debt was reported to be £1.78 trillion. This is so large it is beyond most imaginations to grasp. The cost of paying the interest to service this debt was reported at £48 nillion per annum. So the Government has to fork out eight per cent of its tax income before it even begins to meet all its other liabilities. It seems to me that this Government deserves a little credit for trying to do something to bring its finances under control. I believe this is what politicians are referring to when they mention ‘hard choices’. But we are a democracy. Cutting services equals losing votes. So it is not surprising that this government has apparently made little progress towards reducing the national debt. I am sure we can all come up with pet ideas for cutting government expenditure. For me it remains a mystery that we, the British, give away so much in overseas aid when we evidently are unable to look after our own properly. However, it is of course easy for me to sit in the comfort of my home and criticise. Jack Arnold, South Bank, Chichester
