I HOPE that you will allow me to reply to Rex G Pawley’s letter of last week stating that ‘he would like to send me back in a time warp’, suggesting that I am some spoilt little rich kid.

For his information: I was raised in a three bedroom house (sharing with seven other people) in SW London in the 1950s, my dad was a railway porter and my mum a cleaner.

Fortunately, I passed my eleven plus and received a good (and free) education at a leading grammar school.

I then worked to enable me to finance a degree. I then worked and studied about 70 hours a week for ten years in order to obtain a professional qualification and a Masters Degree. This whilst raising my own family.

Therefore, no need to send me back in time... I have already lived through this period!

I also take exception that Mr Pawley thinks that whilst working in the printing industry (a well paid trade in the 1950s) his motive was to somehow assist me by going on strike!

By his own admission he got a sizeable increase in salary and a working week I would have loved.

We, as a country, have a good standard of living but there are still homeless people, still people who cannot get a job (including many of our youth) and many of our elderly are treated as second class citizens because of derisory pensions. University applications are down this year because of tuition costs and life saving medicines are not prescribed due to cost.

Perhaps where we differ in our views is indicated by the Olympic doctrine ‘Swifter, higher and stronger’.

Let’s aspire to continuing improvement, looking forward and supporting the many less fortunate in today's society by improving their position and not telling them that they have never had it so good.

My advice to Mr Pawley is never assume, do not live in the past and never ever think that all our politicians perform well without pressure from the electorate and the ballot box.

Colin Helps, Hazlemere