IN REPLY to Tom Scaife’s letter of January 16, as a strong believer in free speech I do not wish to silence anyone, even Tom.

The government wants to stop members in the public sector from striking, but does not wish to stop peaceful protest. It also wants a ballot of union members and for that ballot to show more than 40 per cent of members in favour of striking, which seems fair.

In another letter, published on January 2, the prolific Mr Scaife argues that not only are the Conservatives to be feared, but also nameless “powerful money people behind closed doors” who want us to work until we are 100 with little chance of any pension.

What next, hell fire and damnation?

Hazel Ward, Badger Hill, York.