SO, at last, our great leader has come down to earth -- at least, as regards the NHS.

It is obvious that money must be poured into the service if it is to be made into a viable concern, provided that it is used effectively.

Trying to ignore the government's flirtation with privatisation, this money must come via the government and can only come from one source, unless the government puts itself into hock.

That source is taxation. What no one seems to consider is that there are probably millions of people of taxable age in Britain who have never contributed to the DSS for example, nor paid any direct taxes, and probably never will.

At the same time, they are allowed to avail themselves of every facility and are granted every government hand-out there is.

Government could find extra cash by cutting down on some of these hand-outs -- for example, by limiting child allowance to two children, and on a long-term basis by curtailing the ever-increasing numbers who are a burden on the state.

Moves in this direction would be seen to be highly politically incorrect, but we have suffered the correctness long enough.

The overall picture and solution applies to the police, too. We must have more police, especially on foot patrol.

R BRACEWELL, Ormerod Street, Worsthorne, Burnley.