Clive Blackmore wrote that the Conservative Party are demonising themselves and in some ways I cannot disagree (SNJ 21 Feb). After 10+ years in government all political parties become jaded with plenty of baggage, as is currently abundantly clear. At that stage the voting public nearly always vote for a change. It is more-than-probable that Labour will win next General Election, although recent polls dropped them 7% to 41% popularity after they removed their flagship £28 billion green spending pledge.

However every Labour government has left office with higher unemployment numbers than when they first first took office. And during past 50 years Labour have consistently proven themselves financially incompetent – Labour are only government in UK history to go cap in hand to the International Monetary Fund and ask for a loan. The IMF insisted on savage budget cuts that ultimately left Labour in opposition for 18 years.

When Tony Blair took office he inherited a substantial nest egg but during Labour’s period in office Gordon Brown sold off Britain's gold reserves at undervalued rock bottom prices. Britain had the best pension schemes in world until Brown introduced new tax rules that ruined retirement plans for a generation. And Labour left Britain broke.

The Conservative government compares favourably to the Labour government in Wales which is labelled the sick man of Britain with longest NHS waiting list in UK, a mega housing crisis, lowest educational standard in UK, and lowest pay packets in the UK.

A regular refrain from Labour is that Liz Truss crashed the economy but since then under Rishi Sunak the government has almost made good that shortfall and will leave the incoming government with a financial surplus unlike the last Labour government that left a note: “there’s no money left”.

It is therefore clear that Labour can ‘talk the talk’ but stumble when given the opportunity of ‘walking the walk’. If Labour elected to office this country will undoubtedly see higher interest rates and tax rises. Doom & Gloom to follow.

Brian Neate

Stonehouse