WELL done to university graduate Cait Reilly who has won the support of the Court of Appeal against unpaid Government back-to-work schemes even though the court did not agree they were slave labour.

It has fallen to cool, wise heads at the Court of Appeal to protect UK citizens from what they deem ill-thought-out, unlawful excesses of politicians, who apparently wish to turn the clock back and reintroduce slavery for the unemployed.

Slavery was banned from the UK ages ago (officially, anyway) and has no place in a modern democracy. If you work for nowt, you’re worth nowt.

It is scandalous that there are upwards of 2.5 million officially unemployed and no sign this is reducing in any meaningful way. Even these figures are massaged and dependent on people becoming self-employed, due to a lack of employment opportunities.

Politicians shamefully increase the state retirement age forcing many older people to work at the expense of younger people finding employment.

York MPs and York’s council could collectively present to Parliament job-sharing schemes combining 25 hours permanent weekly work with a living wage, and vitally, capped/subsidised, housing rent/mortgages.

Tom Scaife, Manor Drive, York.