Ian Birrell (I warned the Tories to shun tax dodgers. They wouldn’t listen, 10 February) fails to grasp that the real wealth creators are factory workers, miners, farm labourers and so on. The so-called “captains of industry” need to be challenged to be just that – captains of a team – and should ensure that all members of the team benefit from their joint corporate activity. He is wrong to conclude that “the Conservatives should attack Labour for its antipathy to wealth creation”. Since its inception, Labour has championed the cause of “blue-collar” wealth creators, and long may it do so. Bring on the living wage, progressive taxation and heavy penalties for the shirkers – those who evade paying their fair share of tax.

Robert Twycross

Oxford