The tax credits argument has rather been done to death.

Although, of course, things have taken a different turn with the coalition, this particular media red rag wasn't anything like as bad as it sounded.

Cameron initially said that this particular benefit woud be cut for families earning over £50,000 per annum, and that would seem sensible, as anyone on that level of income or more should not be thrown into poverty by it.

I can't help but agree that there are areas of benefits which might usefully be restricted to those in most need.

The New Labour concept that if anybody gets it, all should get it, regardless of financial status, seems to me a complete nonsense.

It must make better sense to help only those who need help, and if that is the basis upon which the decision is made, those most in need would receive a larger portion of the available pot.

That alone would start to reverse the gap (steadily widening under Blair/Brown) between haves and have nots.

Incidentally, I am one of those who won't receive any beneficial effects from the £10,000 personal allowance, and neither will my wife.

Our incomes aren't high enough, but hell, those are the breaks, and I'm not inclined to cry about it. I am altruistic enough to take comfort in the fact that for a lot of low earners it will be a lifeline.

I'm just grateful that I don't face the incompetence and dishonesty of another five years of Gordon Brown.

Don T.