Every day this week seems to have brought a new blow to our society. Monday: a little light legerdemain to "launch" the pupil premium fails – it's a reallocation of existing funds – a £2.5bn con. Tuesday: the poorest councils will suffer cuts of up to 8.9%, while some of the richest will get an increase. Wednesday: more than 900 primary schools could be closed as they fail to reach "standards", regardless of how good a job they are doing elsewhere (of course, the solution is academies). Thursday: 100,000 public sector job losses are forecast (nicely matched in later bulletins by the same number in the private sector). Friday: the Institute of Fiscal Studies estimates an extra 400,000 people living in absolute poverty in 2012-13: 200,000 children and 200,000 working-age adults. My anger is only heightened by a Tory minister (Letters, 17 December) parroting the "big society" line. The result of putting ideology before community will be more in line with Thatcher's dictum, "there is no such thing as society".
Neil Denby
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire