How the rich should pay a fair share

Published: 11 November, 2010

• IF Professor Richard Wilkinson wonders whether rich people should be invited to voluntarily pay extra council tax for projects threatened with cuts, (John Gulliver, November 4), he must be very well-meaning, but naive.

Far from the poor having to depend on the paternalism of the few rich people who would be prepared to pay more, a system of progressive taxation should be brought in to raise money to provide necessary services. That way the rich would be paying their fair share.

Also a lot of people will find the suggestion to poorer people from one Islington councillor about having “the confidence and self-respect to do something with yourself” extremely patronising. Most of the working class have plenty of initiative but are hamstrung through a lack of money and facilities.

P WAGLAND 
Brecknock Road, N19