One of the advantages of having lived through the 1950s and 60s is that I am in a position to compare and contrast the current labour difficulties with that period of time.

The 1950s were not that balmy; houses were cold, shops had little choice, food experience was limited as Britain was still struggling after WW2.

However, there were a few elements which would benefit from being revived.

In every community there was a police house. This was rented to a serving police man who could establish himself in the community and therefore be a physical presence.

Contrast this with the current situation of a centralised police force. Related to this, police houses have been sold off, netting individual forces large sums of money.

Nurses were provided with accommodation near their place of work: nurses homes. Those who lived in them may not have lasting memories of them as a panacea, but surely they were better than the current situation of young student nurses having to pay current market rents, drive their cars to work and pay to park, in order to work.

In the area of Swanmore, our postmen had a sorting office in neighbouring Bishop's Waltham, which was where they collected the mail. This was sold off, and the postmen now have to drive to Eastleigh, a distance of nine miles, but which is often hampered by the increased volume of traffic, in order to collect the post.

In the past, Alan Johnson, a former postman, was a member of the Cabinet, and as such had the knowledge of a working man’s life. Who in recent Cabinets can claim this?

Sue Halloway,
Lower Chase Road,
Swanmore

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