WHATEVER your political persuasion, it is hard not to be perturbed by today's revelation that the gap between Britain's rich and poor is at its highest level for more than 40 years.
While the rich have got richer, the number of families living below the poverty line has increased.
Such inequality can only breed envy, resentment and destructive sense of hopelessness among the have-nots.
Politicians and business leaders have successfully nurtured enterprise and hard work over recent decade.
The challenge now is to ensure the benefits also reach those struggling on the bottom rungs.