FRANK Hankinson was spot on in his summing up of the New Labour Government, and I share his concern.

What we need now are strong Back Bench MPs not afraid to stand up against the Government when need arises.

With this in mind, I applaud our local MPs who did just that in opposing Government moves to sack the Chairs of two Commons committees for daring to criticise the Government. Some 124 Labour MPs opposed the move, giving Tony Blair his first bloody nose, in the Commons, since coming to power.

Most of us who took the trouble to vote did so in the hope that those we put into office would, when need be, stand up and be counted. So far, in showing their disapproval of Government plans to humiliate the disabled and now, in opposing its plans to rid committees of those who dare criticise, it has been a promising start by Labour back benchers. This Government needs to learn that riding roughshod over supporters who dare to criticise is riding roughshod over democracy.

Sadly, there was no mention of Ruth Kelly or Ivan Lewis in the BEN report. Could it be that, having got a foot on the bottom rung of the ladder to Government office, they were afraid to rock the boat?

Brian Derbyshire

Ribchester Grove, Bolton