SO, P HOWARD (Oxford Mail, October 19) thinks that the country will always be in debt under a Tory government.

The Tories were in office for 18 years, not 15, and in 1999 Labour inherited a healthy economy, not a big debt as he says.

In fact after 12 years under Labour, we now have the highest national debt in history. The world-wide recession has made the economy much worse but Labour has spent, spent, spent, wasting billions of pounds, and now the country is paying for it.

It’s true we had a recession under the Tories and at one time very high interest rates.

They should never have sold off the utilities which are now owned by foreigners.

The poll tax was a disaster, as the wealthy only paid the same as the poor, and they scrapped the link between state pensions and earnings.

However, after 12 years of Labour, that link still remains broken, and of all the better-off countries of the EU, we have the lowest state pension.

Labour, to their credit, have given us the winter fuel allowance, free eyesight tests, free prescriptions and bus passes all for the over-60s and we are all very grateful.

However, we pay for it all by means of the many stealth taxes Labour has inflicted on us.

Whoever wins the next election, we will all have to tighten our belts for several years to get the economy back on track. The Tories have been up front in announcing cuts, the increase of retirement by one year.

Labour will increase the retirement age ten years later, but by then it will be anything from 67 to 70 years of age. The same should apply to the public sector workers who, Labour said, could retire at 60 with state-paid pensions.

Labour will do things by stealth as always. Your home will be rebanded for higher council tax after the snoopers have been round to see what you have done to improve your home. It’s no joke. It’s been spoken of twice before and Labour will do it.

I know who I will trust to put the country back on its feet, the EU allowing. Keep tight.

MICHAEL CLARKE, Lewell Avenue, Old Marston, Oxford