We don’t want to be treated like robots . . .

SINCE the pandemic, subtle changes have taken place in our everyday lives.

The right to pay cash for purchases is under threat. Those on a tight budget don’t want to use contactless because they prefer to know what money they have at the end of the month.

Large stores such as m&s and Boots have installed rows of selfservice machines and done away with most of the cashiers.

Then there is the closure of so many of our banks and building societies. The Halifax advertisement it’s a People Thing has a hollow ring. Whoever devised that slogan certainly wasn’t thinking of their loyal staff and customers.

The public has to speak up about these unwanted changes. We are not robots. We need to interact with people, not work from home, click on computers and have goods delivered to our homes.

BRENDA ENGLAND, Worcester Park, S. W. london.

Patronising advice

ENVIRONMENT secretary george eustice sought to advise those less wealthy, well remunerated and privileged than he is to make ends meet by buying supermarket own brands.

Those of us with fewer means are all too well acquainted with how to save money by turning down the heating, using draught excluders, wearing thermals and layers, trading down to lower price goods and loitering with intent to secure supermarket markdowns.

We don’t need vacuous and patronising advice from those who really ought to know better.

N. ATKINS, Swindon, Wilts.

GEORGE EUSTICE tells us to buy value-branded food.

Who does he think pays for the subsidised food and drink in the bars and restaurants at the Houses of Parliament?

BRIAN BEST, High Wycombe, Bucks.

I WILL take budgeting advice from george eustice when he has lived on a basic wage long enough to know what it is like.

T. NEWMAN, Gloucester.

Grammar lesson

I am disappointed that once again, a grammar school education is lauded by Jenni murray.

Spare a thought for the 1960s children who failed their 11-plus due to the postcode lottery and were assigned a second-rate education at a secondary modern school. grammar schools were fine if you ended up in one, but not so good if you missed out.

Levelling up by bringing back elitist schools is not the answer. every child should receive the same standard of education.

DAVID GRAHAM, Ollerton, Notts.

Price of the commute

WHEN i commuted to the City, a large proportion of my wages and hours of my time were spent on travel to my workplace.

So why should people choosing to work from home complain their salary could be reduced by 20 per cent? They don’t get dressed in a smart suit after enjoying a lie-in or have to stand on a cold platform in all weathers waiting for a delayed or cancelled train.

BRENDA SPRAY, Romford, East london.

Death knell of NHS

LAST week, i was seen at my surgery within an hour of ringing, so full marks to them.

I was surprised to discover there are ten locums and part-timers, but no full-time GPS.

My father was a GP in glasgow before and after the introduction of the NHS. He had 2,400 panel patients in the gorbals and knew all of their names. His daily routine meant leaving the house at 8.30am for home visits with surgery from 10.30am to noon. a few more calls on the way home for lunch.

At 2.15pm twice a week he would see his private patients. at 4pm, he was out on his rounds again until 6.30pm when he had dinner. evening surgery was 7pm to 8pm.

Before retiring for the night, he would switch the hall phone to the extension by his bed. many were the calls in the middle of the night, meaning putting clothes over his pyjamas and dashing to bring a wee glaswegian yelling into this world. He loved every minute of his work.

Once a month, I would sit with him while he wrote out the bills. He would say, ‘Poor Jimmie’s just lost his job’ or, ‘elsie’s now had her fourth so no way she can pay’ before tearing up the demands.

He told me: ‘The NHS is a brilliant social concept, but it’s the death knell of the doctor/ patient relationship. Patients will become simply a number.’ DAVID M. BERNSTEIN,

High Wycombe, Bucks.

Taxing question

so 17 out of the 22 members of the Cabinet won’t deny avoiding tax using non-dom status or offshore accounts in tax havens such as the Cayman islands. Yet they won’t give help to consumers with spiralling energy bills because they say there isn’t enough tax to fund it and they oppose a one-off levy on oil company profits to help householders. Don’t they care about ordinary people?

PHIL TATE, Chester.

Chumps league

IT’S called the Champions League, but it is neither a competition solely for champions nor is it a league. The final is a one-off game.

How can the winner of this tournament be called champions of europe when they may not be champions of their own national league?

The rightly called World Cup has a similar format of a mini league followed by knock-out rounds.

PHIL CHAPMAN, Chepstow.

Downton bliss

IF YOU are finding it hard to cope with the stresses of modern life, go and see the film Downton abbey: a new era.

Brilliant acting and a beautifully crafted script mean you can wallow unashamedly in delightful nostalgia and escapism. PETER RICKABY,

Selby, N. Yorks.