THE Defence Secretary Liam Fox claimed expenses at the cost of the taxpayer to take a friend around the world with him.

Earlier this month he called for “radical” cuts in the country’s welfare budget to help fund a series of tax reductions to get the economy moving.

His argument raised fresh questions about the future of universal benefits for older citizens including free bus passes and prescriptions, the winter fuel allowance and free TV licences for people over 75.

In other words, don’t do what I do, just do what I say.

Then we have David Cameron who rightly says that people cannot borrow themselves out of debt and should not borrow above their means.

I say to Mr Cameron what about the students in this country who have to pay £9,000 in tuition fees?

It does not make any difference if students are in debt when they go to university or after they have been to university – they are in debt.

Students studying medicine in this country go to university for seven years. That will cost them £63,000 in fees. Throw in the cost of accommodation, books, food, clothes and travel and they could be as much as £100,000 in the red.

The future of this country will be in the hands of the young people of today and this Government has made it impossible for some people to be able to go to university.

Instead, our universities will be used to educate students from abroad.

If the people in this country were treated the same as MPs there would be no strikes.

Why didn’t the Lib Dems stop the Conservative Party increasing tuition fees to £9,000?

G Hall, Crook .