• I AM sure John Mills (An idea to aid our troubled economy, October 6) is right in calling for a revival of our manufacturing sector but if he’s saying this is necessary to deal with the problems of our public services or tackle inequality I must disagree.

During the postwar period our gross domestic product (allowing for inflation) was a fraction of what it is now.

But nobody was talking about health care being unaffordable, people didn’t have to take out large loans to finance higher education, we had a mass housebuilding programme which did not involve unending sprawl, almost every town had a railway station and almost every village a bus service (evenings and Sundays included). And we had a more equal society.

Is it really true that the more we have the less we can afford?

If we are not paying our way in the world, then unless we can produce more we must cut back on consumer goods, not essential public services, the bulk of whose cost involves domestic labour and therefore stays within the country.

SIMON NORTON, NW3