THE health service is in crisis, and is likely to remain so. Adequate spending on the health and welfare of the public should be an absolute priority.

At the moment, the pattern of public spending does not allow sufficient resources to be allocated to the NHS.

So it is obvious that it is necessary to modify that pattern. Adequate funding for the NHS and for the whole area of social provision can only come from cuts in defence spending.

There is absolutely no alternative to cancelling Trident, which is a very expensive weapon of mass destruction, which will cost at least £100 billion over the long term if we want to raise the necessary funds.

And, morally speaking, it is far preferable spending money on saving lives than on preparing to destroy them

Malcolm Pittock

St James Avenue

Bolton