WHEN I read Mark Garnier’s column and Matt Lamb’s letter (Shuttle, February 20) we obviously have two different views on what the economy is offering hard-working people.

The next day I watched a BBC Breakfast News item about the national minimum wage as referred to by Mr Lamb. We were shown how a working mother is struggling to survive and what she describes as ‘working to exist’. We were also shown businesswoman in the clothing manufacturing industry who said if she paid more then the minimum wage she would have to fire people as her customers in retail would not accept a price rise.

Herein lies the problem. Working people are being made to feel lucky to have a job rather than employment being a fundamental right and unless they borrow, people on low pay cannot afford to buy the goods other people produce.

They certainly cannot afford current energy prices. So the clothing business woman chooses to pay her workers the minimum wage and hopes that other employers pay their workers better so they can afford to buy what she produces.

Mr Garnier can present as rosy a picture as he chooses. The reality is we have working people relying on foodbanks and struggling to make ends meet on low pay for temporary work.

I certainly hope the next government stands up for hard-working people because the current one clearly doesn’t.

TONY RAYBOULD Dog Lane Bewdley