Mr Cleaver (bit.ly/2XWXT3j) says that ‘left’ means ‘sinister’ (in a rather childish attempt to turn socialism into a kind of bogeyman).

Sadly he has his Latin back to front - the original meaning of sinistra was ‘left’…other meanings were added later. I fear Mr Cleaver’s logic is equally back to front.

It’s not the first time Mr Cleaver has suggested that being a socialist is about envy. As far as I’m concerned, I’m a Labour Party member and socialist because I believe society should be organised to benefit us all, and in the public interest, rather than a small part of society owning and running things in their own interests while some get little or no opportunities.

Why would anyone think that we don’t ALL deserve a decent education, job, income, health service and retirement? That’s not ‘envy’, Mr Cleaver, that’s fairness, common justice - and common sense.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the top one per cent of households in Great Britain have a total wealth of over £3 million. The bottom 10 per cent of households have less than £13,600 a year.

Mr Cleaver’s Tory government has brought our NHS, schools, social services, roads, police and probation services to their knees in the last nine years as well as cutting disability benefits and bringing in Universal Credit to further the misery.

I don’t think any rich people are going to be ‘ruined’ any time soon - but there ought to be a determination of all right-thinking (and left-thinking!) people to create a Britain where everyone can afford a decent standard of living.

Hilary Fowles

Cam