MIDDLESBROUGH Mayor Ray Mallon is to write an open letter to the Prime Minister pointing out how the town will suffer from £58m of budget cuts over the next five years (Echo, Sept 4).

Sadly, any financial plea will fall on deaf ears.

Teesside will not get a penny from the skin flint Government.

Ever since Margaret Thatcher argued it was fine to pay highfliers more because their spending would fuel future job creation and wealth for others, the gap between rich and poor has widened.

The “trickle down” effect she spoke of – the work, wealth and well-being – never reached the Tees.

Our boat never came in.

The Tories couldn’t care less about this area.

As soon as George Osborne set foot on Teesside a few weeks ago preaching prosperity and jobsfor- all an ominous air of doom descended over the Tees.

No sooner had he re-routed back to Westminster than 500 workers get the chop from insurance giants Direct Line, at a call centre based in Thornaby .

Taking £58m from an area like Middleborough will have a devastating impact on the town.

Stephen Dixon, Redcar