Readers' letters - February 4

As the EU In/Out campaign intensifies ahead of David Cameron’s lack-lustre renegotiations, there is a barrage of misinformation being circulated by the pro-EU side designed to create a “climate of fear” among voters. In a flyer called Europe & You, they regurgitate the past myths, as well as making false accusations against UKIP, in attempts to scare everyone to vote to remain “In”.

They say over three million jobs are linked to our trade with the EU and suggest that they would be at risk if we were to leave.

The UK is EU’s biggest export market and between four to six million EU jobs rely on trade with us, in fact many multi-nationals including Toyota, Airbus, and JCB, have stated leaving the EU would make no difference to their continued investment in the UK.

The EU economy has been in decline for many years and will shrink even further in the foreseeable future. There are around 195 countries that make up the world and 51 in Europe (with only 28 in the EU) they, including our Commonwealth partners, represent tremendous opportunities for our future prosperity. We are a strong nation and quite capable of successfully governing our country and our economy without the interference of a foreign power (EU) than remaining in a failing political empire whose goal is total integration.

Philip Griffiths,

North West President, UKIP (UK Independence Party)

Give elderly tax discount

I believe there should be automatic age adjustments for council tax in which persons, who are over 65, receive a council tax discount of 40 per cent, this would apply to couples.

The discrimination against the elderly in this country is disgusting.

We should put an stop to it. Pensioner poverty exists because the politicians permit it to exist, that is why I am providing permanent solutions to the problems that have been imposed without restraint by politicians on the elderly in this country.

The Older Persons Tax Allowance was abolished by The Conservatives and I believe its abolition has increased the tax burden on those older workers who have decided to continue working and who have already paid a lifetime’s equivalent of tax during their ordinary working life.

We should implement a council tax exemption for all pensioners 80 years of age and older.

I believe in ending poverty. Your local MP does not or they would have suggested these ideas long ago.

Oliver Healey

Address supplied

Not the same as regional

The Government states the average wage is £25,000, this of course is the national average, not taking into consideration regional difference in wages. A truer reflection on average wages would be one based on regional calculation.

This could be done on a north, south east and south west regional divide and, within this, a breakdown of percentage of workers earning less than the taxable wages and those who earn less than a living wage, and the actual percentage of workers who earn the regional average.

This would give a true picture of real earnings. In the south east, where the national high earners are, there are also the low paid service industries, and therefore the disparity in wages is greater. The government speaks of transparency, let us see this in wages.

M Reilly via email