Two women made two very ­different statements this week that speak volumes about the gulf in society that the Westminster ­coalition government's austerity policies have created.

One woman you will have already heard. Myleene Klass got her moment in the spotlight when she savaged an inept Ed Miliband over the mansion tax. Miliband found himself unable to defend himself against the assault, though many voters wondered why he did not reply to the wealthy pop star, "Well, the rich would say that, wouldn't they, Ms Klass?"

The other woman has never had her voice heard before. But in our report today on the coming ­"austerity Christmas" across the UK for the poor, she has her say. Her name is Joanne. She has two sons, aged 10 and 12.

This Christmas will be a bleak one for them thanks to the policies of the Tory government and their LibDem partners.

Joanne made one comment that ought to cut every reader to the heart. She spoke of her son needing new shoes, and added: "There's no way you can go and buy something extravagant like school shoes. You can't, there's just no money for it."

What kind of society creates the conditions in which a mother cannot buy a child shoes - but a rich ­entertainer wins praise for attacking a policy meant to tax the rich? The answer is: no society that aspires to be just and fair and decent.

The only solution? The removal of the Tory-led coalition and the further devolving of powers to the Scottish Parliament to cushion the people of this country from the increasingly cruel drift of Westminster policy makers. Otherwise there will be more Joannes, more children without shoes, and more foodbanks - and that disgraces us all.