APPARENTLY the UK can no longer afford welfare for needy people, reasonable pay rises for NHS staff, teachers and other public services, manageable workloads for NHS staff, teachers, social workers, more trains and reasonable train fares for most people and research into renewable energy resources.

But it seems we can afford high speed rail for a few businessmen, research into fracking using millions of gallons of precious water, nuclear weapons that we’ll never use, war in many countries resulting in deaths and injury of many innocent people, drones, which sneak up on people and kill everything in sight, children included, and huge salary increases for wealthy people like bankers.

Why are so many things so much more important than people?

Why are those things that will damage our environment and ruin our future so important?

The things that we can apparently afford only benefit a few, who are already privileged. Some of those things bring danger, death and sadness to others.

But the things that politicians say we can’t afford could bring a little comfort some less privileged people, and probably a great deal of comfort to many.

People don’t seem to matter any more. What do you think?

Pam Archer Stourbridge