I SEE that "Bury Pensioner" (July 3) has now joined the "Nuff Respect" tirade against the unemployed. And I thought it was only populist politicians that targeted the disadvantaged and marginalised?

"Bury Pensioner" and his sidekick may like to know a few facts. One form of Job Seekers' Allowance is paid for by National Insurance contributions, like SSP, Incapacity Benefit, Maternity Allowance and Retirement Pensions.

Other benefits are means tested. These include income-based JSA, Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, etc. Some benefits are not NI Contribution-based or means tested, such as Disability Living Allowance, Child Benefit and so on. Presumably "Bury Pensioner" is in receipt of a full retirement pension, even though the taxpayer is paying for that, through 39 years of NI contributions, and has been thrifty throughout his life with a personal pension and has plenty of money invested. Well good luck. Many others are not in that fortunate position, often through no fault of their own.

The conclusions I come to from "Bury Pensioner's" perverse logic, is that we should bring back the workhouse for those who have not made adequate provision for ill-health, unemployment, children or old age.

Your correspondent of June 26 who thought the area was wrongly named was obviously correct. With self-centred individuals like "Bury Pensioner", "Nuff Respect" and numerous other contributors to the Bury Times' Letters page, the town should be renamed "Selfish B******'* Metropolitan Borough".

My God! Will the last one out please switch off the lights?

BRENT D. PEARSON,

Redvales Road, Bury.