NO wonder Chancellor George Osborne likes to talk in percentage rises (Echo, Sept 30). Twenty-two per cent of £100 is £22 whereas 14 per cent of £1,000 (less than an MP’s salary) is £140.

Since the cost of living is based upon the purchase of a list of products (the consumer prices index) would it not be better if it was given as a sum of money?

Then we would then see that the poor are getting worse off and the rich are getting richer.

Tom Cooper, Durham City