- The Guardian,
- Sunday June 1 2003
Other European countries achieve much more equal mortality rates and there is little doubt that our record can be attributed to the fact that the UK vies with Greece as the most unequal state in Europe. Poverty kills in this country just as surely as in other countries where the immediate cause is malnutrition.
Robina Goodlad
Co-director Scottish Centre for Research on Social Justice
Glasgow
David Aaronovitch says no one dies of poverty in this country any more. The link between class and longevity has been demonstrated time and time again. I'll stop worrying about inequality when it stops killing people.
Ben Griffith
London WC1
The reason that there is less indignation about the salary of footballers than of company directors is that the market for footballers is more transparent and competitive. Furthermore, I don't know any footballers who receive a pay-off if their club is relegated.
The talent of a Beckham is both unique and open to public scrutiny. What does it take to be a fat-cat? Many of us probably feel that the qualities required to run a large company are not far from those required to run a hospital ward or a school. The main difference is that, unlike directors, ward sisters and head teachers do not write their own employment contracts.
Willie Seal
University of Essex
David Aaronovitch misses the point of the recent shareholder's rebellion at GlaxoSmithKline. Shareholders who rebelled against Mr Garnier's retirement package made it clear their complaint had nothing to do with rewarding him if GSK did well over his period at the helm but with rewarding him even when it did badly. This is the same as paying a bonus to a builder when the house falls down.
Hugh Shanahan
Saffron Walden
Essex
