SIR,

In response to Roy Garner's letter, published in the Beacon last week, I can confirm that as a Labour activist I have received no orders not to answer questions on the Labour government record since 1997.

I read with interest his analysis. It seems to demonstrate that Tory held belief that you can have little taxation and also achieve high standards of public services. We all know from the Thatcher years that this is not possible! The Labour government over the past 13 years has balanced fair taxation with government borrowing to rebuild public services in the UK.

Mr Garner includes a number of random statistics and 'rent a quotes' from the Daily Telegraph in his letter. Perhaps I may present the true picture!

Since 1997, the Labour government has maintained the longest period of sustained low inflation since the 60s with low mortgage rates; introduced a national minimum wage and reduced headline income tax from 23 per cent to 20 per cent; employed over 14,000 more police in England and Wales leading to an overall reduction of crime by 32 per cent; employed over 36,000 more teachers in England and Wales, 274,000 more support staff and teaching assistants resulting in record levels of literacy and numeracy in schools; increased employment to its highest ever level with 28.2 million in work (long-term youth unemployment is down by 75 per cent and the New Deal has helped over 1.8 million people into work); enabled the NHS to employ 85,000 more nurses and 32,000 more doctors leading to a reduction of waiting lists and lowering of heart disease deaths by 150,000 and cancer deaths down by 50,000; increased Child benefit by 26 per cent and lifted 600,000 children out of relative poverty (2,200 Sure Start Children's Centres have been funded and over three million child trust funds have been started); enabled a million pensioners to be lifted out of poverty and supported the £200 winter fuel payment to pensioners and free TV licences for over-75s.

The above has been achieved by sustained investment in our public services and skilful management of the economy. The recovery from the global recession is under way. Any government other than a Labour government will put that recovery at risk and will lead to dramatic reductions in public services.

Stuart Willcock

(Raglan)