LET ME try to remove the confusion of Charles Rushton regarding the definition of "toff".

This is British slang for a member of the upper-class or such pretence and with an air of superiority. The word could derive from "tuft", which described the gold tassel worn on the cap by titled undergraduates.

The definitions Mr Rushton applied to the word toff do not then apply in practice only if he refers to those of upper class background and associated lineage.

David Cameron, George Osborne and Boris Johnson, when at Oxford, were members of the exclusive toffs Bullingdon dining club, which dates back more than 150 years. One can only become a member if one comes from a certain background.

The Tory party has, and in my opinion still does, represented the upper classes (as Mr Cameron has now clearly illustrated) and often penalised the lower class to finance tax cuts for those with wealth.

Where does Mr Rushton get his millions of benefit scroungers from? Even New Labour admits they are a small minority and the Tories say their target is 200,000 scroungers.

I would say to Mr Rushton that the true scroungers are the very wealthy who make obscene profits from the wallets of the majority and do not pay adequate tax in return.

Whether I lost a lot of readers is irrelevant - if ever I had any.

T Scaife, Manor Drive, York.