PRICES go up when supply outweighs demand (Appeal for action to help city tenants as rents levels surge. Friday).

It’s quite simple really. Rent controls or any price controls do not work, they always backfire.

If you can’t afford to live in the nicest part of the city on the dole then you have two options – get a job that pays enough to live there or move to somewhere cheaper.

It’s the same for people buying a house. You want a garden and only have £150,000 to spend, sorry but Bearsden or the West End or even Dennistoun is going to be unaffordable. So you start looking at Renfrewshire, Paisley area etc.

The problem with the people in the Scottish Parliament is that they are backward anti-market anti-capitalists, anti-freedom. They seem to all be deranged of any knowledge of how the real world operates. I’m actually sick of listening to this socialist nonsense.

There should be a rule that anyone who is representative of the people should have at least 10 years work experience in the private sector first, because nearly all of them are out of touch now with reality.

John Galt

Posted online

THE Chancellor of the Exchequer’s showed up this governments ability to get a grasp of the economic catastrophe is sadly lacking.

I am not a fiscal genius but the only way the books are going to be balanced in a relatively short time is through a rise in taxation.

A two to three per cent rise in all taxes for a determined length of time is the only answer.

Wage freezes and cuts to public spending are not going to cut it, we “ALL” have to play our part.

Plus a special tax of 10% on all cash transfers out of this country. The gig economy and zero tax payers must be chased up, as I said we all have to pay without exception. But I will not hold my breath because Brexit is going to cause more disruption.

William Allan

East Kilbride

THE cut in the overseas aid budget to 0.5 per cent of national income as announced in the spending review is shameful and a move the UK will go on to bitterly regret.

This is devastating news for the poorest people in the world and breaks the Conservative election manifesto pledge of 0.7%, which it should be remembered is also enshrined in law. It will not only hurt them but will have a real impact on people in the UK as well.

Such a cut is simply bad economics and will end up costing more than it saves and is bad foreign policy that reduces Britain’s influence and makes us poorer in the eyes of the world. Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has committed to an increase in defence spending he claims as being worth £16.5 billion in new money over four years.

Such a move clearly shows the right wing in the Tory party is well and truly in the ascendancy, putting military hardware ahead of helping the world’s poorest. While Chancellor Sunak may claim that this overseas aid cut is temporary one should remember that income tax was only intended to be a temporary measure, and that was in 1799.

Alex Orr

Via email

BEARING in mind the warning from Professor Chris Whitty, the UK government’s Chief Medical Officer, that kissing grandma at Christmas might prove fatal to her, there are quite a few public figures I would very much like to meet under the mistletoe.

Penny Ponders

Via email

I’M sick of people who refuse to wear masks in shops. They are just selfish and ignorant.

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