YOUR letters page regularly includes complaints about the price of fuel in the UK as compared with Europe. In fact politicians of all colours have used this as an opportunity to bash the Government of the time and it is true that all governments going back as far as I can remember have increased the cost of fuel because it is the only form of taxation available. In fact it was the previous Government which recognised this fact which resulted in their introducing the fuel escalator which increased prices year on year.

However, this public resentment is totally over the top when you examine the issue more closely. Yes in Britain we do pay more for our petrol yet when you look at taxation as a whole we do far better than Europe. For example, in Germany they pay almost 50pc of their wages each month in income tax. France has a similar tax level. When you compare this to the 23pc we in Britain pay (which will be reduced to 22pc next year) you realise that this press and public hysteria is ridiculous. It is quite amusing that on the one hand some papers cry foul about the tax on petrol, yet in the same breath want more money for the NHS.

If we want a better NHS we will have to pay for it. However, the reaction of some of your readers on this page has shown that we do not want to pay any more even if our tax burden is far less than that of our neighbours in Europe.

Mr D Farnworth

Armadale Road

Ladybridge

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