The obsession with economic growth does not take into account the climate crisis or extreme poverty, writes Michael Bassey , while John Airs says the fight for socialism is far from over

Once again the concern is for economic growth (Tories splash the cash, but will it hit the right targets?, 12 March). When will rich countries like ours recognise that growth is damaging the planet and prejudicing the lives of our grandchildren?

Rishi Sunak’s budget has allocated £27bn for roadbuilding and a further £4.2bn to eight local authorities for transport projects (Report, 12 March). He hasn’t said (and may not know) how much carbon dioxide these measures, and the resultant traffic, will add to the already overloaded atmosphere and the concomitant heating of the planet.

A rich country? According to the Social Metrics Commission, using government data, there are 14.3 million people living in poverty in the UK. On 11 March you reported that “food banks gave out more than 1.6m parcels last year”. What a national disgrace. It may be claimed that our economy needs to grow in order to support the poor, but there is little evidence that this happens.

What is needed is a redistribution of existing wealth, not a grab for more. This could be achieved by the government legislating for citizen’s income, paid to every citizen as an entitlement, and recovered from the better-off by taxation. The Labour party is beginning to talk of this, the Tories should as well.

Michael Bassey

Newark, Nottinghamshire

• I think I got a bit carried away with the idea that the 40-odd years of malingering Thatcherite neoliberalism was finally dead. There are still elements of the Conservative DNA and free-market ideology that persist (Journal, 12 March). Then there is the small matter of the power of the corporations that control our lives and the billionaires who control our media. Not quite time to give up the struggle for a socialist government.

John Airs

Liverpool

• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com

• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters

• Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers? Click here to upload it and we’ll publish the best submissions in the letters spread of our print edition