DESPITE what Howard Perry says (Letters, December 16), we should be rejoicing that George Osborne’s Autumn Statement states that the aim is to get government spending down to 35 per cent of GDP, a positive last achieved in the 1930s.

What have we seen in the intervening 80 years?

Governments increasing Whitehall staff and public spending for political and vote-catching reasons, only until we are now in the position of massive central over-staffing, state interference in every aspect of our daily lives, and a national debt that will affect the prosperity of future generations.

Greece tried this approach and look what a basket case they became.

Geoff Robb, Hunters Close, Dunnington, York.