I MUST reply to Gerard Cavalier's In My View who I compliment for a very informative breakdown of how overseas governments set their taxation levels (Daily Echo, June 11).

Initially, being retired, one has time to sit back and take stock of our entire decline, thus my main worry is not for my generation, it is for my children and grandchildren.

Coming from an engineering background I have witnessed the almost complete annihilation of my trade, as is the case of so many of our industries.

A classic example is the desolate area in Woolston that was Vosper Thornycroft who gave me a trade, employing thousands, and with genuine government support together with a level playing field in business, would still be running today.

Thus, if we care for our future, and wish to see our country among the greats again, we should tell the politicians they are working for us, not the other way around. They should tell any British based company wishing to jump ship, the penalties will be extensive, insisting all British exports (when industry recovers) will be carried by British built ships with English crews. How's that for a start?

With a determined effort such as this I doubt if any crocodile tears will be forthcoming in the boardrooms, Mr Cavalier, they will be genuine, wet, full blown droplets.

HUGH CLEVERLY, Fair Oak.