SIR – Peter Nielsen is mistaken if he believes that “laissez-faire” capitalism has ever been employed recently in this country (Worcester News, June 28).

Is he trying to tell us that businesses in this country are unregulated?

Business has been burdened with layer after layer of government regulation over the years, both from our government and the European Union.

A government failure to supervise (not regulate) the banks is one reason for many of our present woes.

An over-sized public sector is another – how can we have tax-consuming public organisations worth almost half of the economy? That is simply unsustainable. There must be a re-balancing.

Unionisation of the workforce is hardly the answer to our predicament.

Taking low earners out of tax altogether is the key to making work pay and empowering the aspirational.

How is it right to hammer low earners with punitive tax rates while their nonworking neighbours exist on benefits, often better off as a result?

The coalition is edging the tax-free allowance upwards, but they need to be much bolder.

They also need to free our businesses from red tape.

Let’s recognise the plight of working people as being a consequence of overbearing government, not private sector businesses.

JAMES GOAD
Worcester