MARGARET THATCHER’S recently released cabinet papers from 1982 reveal the extent to which her cabinet considered dismantling the welfare state (Echo, Dec 29).

Sadly, the revelations did not surprise me one bit.

In many ways, the declassified papers parallel what is going on today – the destruction of the welfare state, the end of state funding for higher education and the freezing of unemployment benefits.

It’s as if today’s cabinet has just gone back in time and adopted some old ideas from the Thatcher era.

Back in 1982, Mrs Thatcher looked down on the underprivileged blaming them for the country’s problems – just like the current Government.

She was the one who told hard-up students to live on porridge and water, waged war on young single mums and warned the cabinet welfare payments were unsustainable in 1980s Britain – a 1980s Britain which was dripping in North Sea oil.

Sadly, Mrs Thatcher’s brutal legacy still lives on today with a toxic Government which is set to execute what Mrs Thatcher was stopped from doing – demolishing the welfare state.

And like a ticking time bomb, it’s set to go off in 2013 under the universal credit system – a fancy title to disguise a cut in benefit payments.

Already, 800,000 claimants will be worse off under the planned system with the emphasis on a hand up rather than a handout.

But everyone living in Britain today is reliant on some kind of state help.

And what better example than the 650 serving MPs who need state help with their housing, food and living allowances?

The welfare state is alive and kicking in the heart of Westminster.

Stephen Dixon, Redcar