SIR - Alec Suchi chose to reference the beliefs of Friedrich Von Hayek to criticise progressive politics and political correctness, under the title “No More Visionaries” (Letters, September 20) He started by describing Von Hayek as an “eminent economist” and concluded by claiming “we may require less visionaries and more practical people.” Thus, there was the inherent assumption that Von Hayek didn’t have his own ‘vision’ and that those on the right of politics are practical and those on the left are not.

In fact, Von Hayek was more than just an economist. If you google his name you will see him also described as a “philosopher” and “defender of classical liberalism.” These views included belief in “an unfettered market” where social provision for the less fortunate should be limited, so keeping them constantly desperate to work “to keep hunger at bay.”

It is not surprising to learn that Von Hayek’s thinking influenced, amongst others, Margaret Thatcher.

Clearly, Alec Suchi approves of certain ‘visionaries’ and their visions but not others.

I and many others however are eternally grateful to those practical socialist and social democrat ‘visionaries’ who created the British Welfare State and the NHS all those years ago.

And I support all those who still strive towards the creation of a fairer, more humane, equal society.

David Hornsby, West View Avenue, Wrose