SIR,
I refer to the anonymous letter in last week's Beacon headed 'Tory amnesia'.
I suggest that selective amnesia is also a serious weakness of Labour supporters.
Your correspondent lists many benefits that have come to Monmouth during the 12 years of the previous Labour government, but forgets their cost.
It would have been amazing if we had seen no improvement to our local environment after enduring the trebling of our council tax in Monmouth during the same 12 year period (a staggering cumulative increase of 337 per cent).
This compares with a total increase of only 29 per cent during the previous five years of a Conservative government.
I should also add that I am uncertain of the relevance of central government to many of the items on his/ her list of Monmouth improvements such as the arrival of Waitrose and the Kings Head.
The surge in council tax under Labour is, of course, only one part of the huge increase in taxation endured by us during their administration.
Unfortunately, even with this vast increase in tax revenue, Blair and Brown et al still had to borrow at an unprecedented level to support their spending binge.
It is sad that we now have so little to show for this explosion in public spending, for which we will have to pay the price for several years to come.
Jim Duncan
(Monmouth)