THE Tory and Labour parties would do well to steer clear of the painful subject of how Britain's Second World War widows have been treated over the last 60 years because neither political party would come up smelling of roses.
Nevertheless I would be willing to talk to any politician - Tory, New Labour or Liberal Democrat - and give each one of them a factual account of shabby treatment.
Such as what it was like to be on the receiving end of successive governments' policies which seemed hell-bent on making life very difficult for this country's Second World War widows.
For a start I would explain how we were expected to let our children run in the streets so we could have a full-time job, pay National Insurance contributions and pay income tax on our inadequate war pensions.
None of Chancellor Gordon Brown's generous welfare to work hand-outs for us. We had no choice in the matter; get a job or starve on the war widows pension, plus eleven shillings (55 pence) a week for each dependent child and no free school dinners or child care allowances either.
Ida Mary Goodrick,
Woodlands Avenue, Tadcaster.
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