SIR – Tory MP Esther McVey, Iain Duncan Smith’s deputy, rather ‘let the cat out of the bag’ when she insisted it was “right” that half a million Britons be dependent on food banks in “tough times”.

This illustrates perfectly the Conservative vision of an unfettered full-blown free market economy which has at its heart ‘winners,’ (the very rich at the top), accompanied by ‘losers’ (great poverty at the bottom). This is at variance with the type of society many would prefer for this country, ie one which offers a fair deal to all, and supports those who are particularly vulnerable.

Food banks were never meant to be used by so many, and the fact that Ms McVey seems to approve of the current situation, possibly the prevailing view of many of her colleagues, highlights one of the problems with the current austerity project.

And the fact that there is also talk of cutting the top rate of tax even further from 45 per cent to 40 per cent, only emphasises that viewpoint even more.

David Hornsby, West View Avenue, Wrose