Madam,

Peter Evans eloquently decries the loss of Coleg Harlech, the Welsh adult education centre and appeals to the university sector to rescue it, citing their business acumen.

I applaud his passion, but have concerns about the integrity of his potential saviours and the need to address the reason why Coleg Harlech is closing.

In the developing world, many countries are implementing private education systems, policies imposed by global aid bodies like the IMF, and endorsed by our own government aid programmes. We, as a nation, are in the business of marketising the education of some of the poorest people on the planet, not so unlike our universities.

Whilst our young are saddled with horrendous educational debts, for debatable benefit, the Philistines in government are not just cutting community flesh to the bone, but zealously amputating the very limbs of community, such that when youth mental distress is soaring, they preside over widespread closure of youth facilities.

To compound their callousness, they justify austerity by blaming the Labour government for profligacy surrounding the financial crash.

This has to be the greatest calumny in economic history and, like many others, I am astounded that the Tories still employ it, and get away with it.

Whenever Labour legislated to misguidedly deregulate financial services, the Tories were urging them to go further, urged on by their friends and associates in the city, assisted by their army of lobbyists. When the balloon went up, whether Labour or Tory, the government of the day had to bail out the banks, it was that bad. The debt was socialised, and we, the taxpayers, paid for private banking greed. Labour was not profligate, they were compelled to save the fat cats, who have continued on their merry, corpulent path, laughing all the way to the bank.

Education is both an individual and a national asset, that’s why the aristocracy reluctantly decided to educate the dirty masses. The industrial revolution demanded brain as well as brawn, that is still true, and Coleg Harlech deserves substantial subsidy.

Yours etc,

Roger Louvet, Llanfrothen.

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