Labour’s reckless spending plans must be challenged at every turn

SIR – The Tories are constantly portrayed, especially by the BBC, as the party of austerity – an updated version of black-hatted Victorian mill owners grinding the faces of the poor into the dirt for the fun of it.

Meanwhile, Labour and others are saying: “Vote for me because I’ll spend more of your money.”

Austerity was necessary to save the country from bankruptcy following massive overspending by the last Labour government. Jeremy Corbyn has pledged to spend even more. The Tories should point this out at every opportunity. Don’t they want to win? Robert Griffiths

St Lawrence, Jersey

SIR – The trouble with Corbynism is that the increased tax rates proposed won’t yield more tax.

The top 1 per cent won’t pay more. Some will adapt; others will flee. The Swiss and others will welcome them.

No one will work long hours if all it does is push them into a 70 per cent tax band. Consultants and other high earners providing key services will look to their own quality of life. The NHS crisis will deepen.

Under Emmanuel Macron, the French are moving away from their Corbynist nightmare. They would love to see a rise in corporation tax drive investment away from Britain.

The long-term bond holders will look askance at the yawning gap in our deficit and ballooning £1.7 trillion debt, and will run for the hills.

Mr Corbyn will blame this on dark forces. He will echo the claims of his SNP and Liberal Democrat allies that it is all because of Brexit. Before we know where we are, we will be taking a punishment beating back in the EU. David Watt

Brentwood, Essex SIR – This election campaign has left many local business communities feeling alienated from Westminster.

The tone of the campaign in relation to business has been over negative on all sides. Too often, the reputation of great business communities across the country is tarnished by the deeds of a tiny minority of high-profile firms.

In every corner of Britain there are companies investing in their local areas, generating jobs and training and developing talent. These firms know that their own success depends on the success of the local economy and community around them. Yet these businesses presently feel unfairly pressured, rather than supported.

Come June 9, the incoming government must work with business, not chastise it. Only by working together can we create the environment necessary for the country to thrive. Dr Adam Marshall

Director General British Chambers of Commerce London SW1

SIR – Corporation tax (Letters, June 3) is a tax on profits. It is levied before profits are distributed to shareholders as dividends, but after directors have paid themselves salaries and bonuses.

An increase will reduce dividends. These mostly go to pension funds. They will have less income and will need to reduce benefits paid to retired members, or increase contributions of fund members still working, or both.

Whichever is chosen, the members will then have lower taxable incomes, pay less in income tax and, having less money to spend, pay less in VAT.

The decrease in revenue from income tax and VAT occasioned by increasing corporation tax has not been quantified by either side. With Labour, that is hardly surprising. With the Conservatives it seems strange. Dr Richard Austen-baker

Lancaster

SIR – Although he lacks the religious justification for his views, Jeremy Corbyn reminds me of the pre-war Labour leader George Lansbury, who proved that you can be absolutely sincere while being absolutely wrong. In his unconditional support of appeasement, he seemed incapable of recognising that there is evil in the world that must always be opposed.

The only thing that can give Labour hope is that Lansbury was succeeded by Major Attlee, a man of far greater stature and common sense. Colin Bullen

Tonbridge, Kent

SIR – Mr Corbyn can’t really think that university students are not going to realise that, under his free tuition pledge, instead of paying off a loan in a finite time, they will be paying far higher income tax for the rest of their lives when they find employment. That is assuming they can find jobs in companies paying much higher corporation tax, which will leave them unable to employ more people. Chris Neal

Dial Post, West Sussex

SIR – Election week: the chance to have our say, to elect the MP of our choice, who will represent us in Parliament and vote for us on important issues.

Democracy at work. But not in Buckingham, where we cannot vote Tory, Labour or Liberal. Our sitting “MP” is the Speaker. We can’t vote him out and he can’t vote on our behalf. Jo Gilvary

Brickhill, Buckinghamshire