Free market is the answer

Sir, – Social mobility is at least as much of an issue here in the Lowlands of Scotland as it is down south, where former Labour government minister, Alan Milburn, and the three other commissioners felt obliged to resign from the government’s social mobility commission.

The underlying assumption of the commission, and of all progressive opinion, is that people are incapable of overcoming adversity or discrimination and achieving anything for themselves without massive state ‘help.’

We have spent well over half a century in Britain testing this proposition, and unsurprisingly it has completely failed.

Comprehensive education and the closure of selective schools took opportunity away from bright working class kids.

The tax and welfare systems are structured in such a way as promote welfare dependence and kill marriage.

Mass immigration since the Blair years has depressed wages for working class people, while benefiting the well off.

The culture of grievance and victimhood, which progressive politicians have assiduously cultivated, has demoralised, in both senses of the word, a great many people.

At the same time, it has brought great electoral benefits to the parties and politicians, who promoted this destructive mind set.

If we really want opportunity for all (and social mobility), we should promote

“RBS were happy enough to take ‘our’ money to stay afloat and now they think that they can treat us as trash! Well, the time has come to show them that we have had enough

optimism, self-help and free market policies. Whenever they have been tried, they have always worked.

Otto Inglis. 6 Inveralmond Grove, Edinburgh.