There are old insurance signs on buildings in York, which clearly identified the houses which could expect the fire fighters employed by that insurance company if their property was on fire. Those who paid their insurance to that particular company for that particular service.

We have come a long way from those days and we have always worked, raised a family, saved for pensions and a nest egg for retirement, ridden the bad times and welcomed challenges.

But, in a period when some essential public services and support charities are being starved of funds, and some being set up for private takeover, are the people round the cabinet table really aware of the human cost their policies will have for ordinary people? Eighteen are multi millionaires who have the means to cushion them and theirs from the consequences. The high flying, economic geniuses they protect, who gambled us into a record national debt, are quite happy, thank you.

They continually remind us that the decisions they are making are difficult and painful. FOR WHO?

Many whose lives depend on these services are helpless without them and worried sick. People like us in old age, hope we can come through what's coming but worry whether we can if the cuts keep coming. We are past the stage of being able to go out and earn more. Jobs are few and far between, anyway. We worry for our young families, as they do for us.

Every man, woman and child of us has a share in the record national debt of £4,900,000,000 000 and rising; £76,000 each, for us, our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to live with. Nineteen of us.

The situation the nation is in today is on a par with wartime and, as much as they tell us we are 'in it together', it doesn't feel that way. For the large majority it feels we are on our own, with support under fire and fighting for them.

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