C N WESTERMAN’S letter (The Press, July 14) certainly shook me. Surely he cannot believe only the Tories are against shirkers.

No-one begrudges genuine people state benefits, whatever party they support.

Why should we who work hard and employ staff keep the idle few?

Why should the public do likewise? We hear of generations of families who have never worked receiving houses and endless benefits.

What have monks got to do with today’s situation?

There must be many struggling to make ends meet who have to make sacrifices, Mr Westerman, so why should they have to keep scroungers?

So many of the jobless have no intention of taking any job when they can get the dole.

These are the ones whose benefits should be stopped, not everyone.

A sense of proportion, Mr Westerman.

Pamela Frankland, Hull Road, Dunnington, York