I am writing to respond to David Mills’s letter (April 16) about blue badge holders.

In his latest letter, responding to the previous two replies on the issue, it’s obvious he actually stops and thinks about the issue, instead of the knee-jerk reaction he made in his original letter – and in this letter I broadly agree with him.

I am a blue badge holder.

Mr Mills makes the same assumption as many of the post-Thatcher generation, and that is the attitude of the “I’m all right, Jack” and “greed is good” brigade!

They never actually stop to think what a disability can be like to live with, they just see the so-called “perks” of disability and are envious of them.

It’s an appalling attitude, but unfortunately increasingly becoming more common, particularly while we are suffering the worst recession in history and certain people only look inwardly and want someone to vent their anger at.

As with past recessions, they always pick on the vulnerable in society as they are least equipped to fight back.

The same can be said over the way the Government is depriving smokers of their democratic right to view the products they wish to purchase, As long as tobacco products are legal, smokers have the right to view and choose their smoke of choice, either by brand or price, which smokers are now being denied.

A drinker can amble around a supermarket in full view and choose which beer, wine or spirit to purchase.

Someone wishing to view pornography can browse for a reasonable amount of time at literature on the top shelf of newsagents, or there are certain shops dedicated to the subject they can enter and browse before they make a purchase.

But, the same legal democratic right for the smoker is now being denied them. I say democratic right, which is different to civil rights and human rights, which with regard to smoking I broadly agree with.

Those who agree with the removal of tobacco products should remember the Government takes hundreds of millions of pounds in revenue from smokers and, if it ceases, then everyone’s tax bill will go up to compensate for the loss.

As it stands now, alcoholic and obesity-related issues are more of a drain on the NHS than smoking.

If the moral do-gooders carry on lobbying the Government to remove the democratic rights of the people of this nation, we will soon be a democracy in name only and an authoritarian state in reality!

Paul Hayward
Orwell Close
Colchester