SIR: I was somewhat surprised by comments made by representatives of Bolton's 'new look' Labour Party, upon receiving a petition from residents of the Collingwood Estate, Westhoughton, who were opposed to further housing development in their area (BEN: August 7).

How the Labour parliamentary candidate has the audacity to say that "priority needs to be given to the regeneration of Westhoughton town centre" is beyond me.

Does she not know that it is Bolton's Labour Council that have dragged their heels over the regeneration of Westhoughton town centre for at least the last four years.

By giving a single chosen developer deadline after deadline; rather than select an alternative developer who was ready, willing and able to begin the regeneration of the town centre development at a few months notice, Bolton's Labour council has blighted Westhoughton's commercial growth.

Perhaps it is too much to expect that both the Labour councillor concerned (who prefers living in Halliwell to Westhoughton), or the London-based parliamentary candidate would bother to find out the area's history before making such hypercritical comments.

Call me a cynic, but this 'new' Labour posturing smacks more of vote grabbing than any real concern for the people of Westhoughton.

Mr G Twist,

Parkway,

Westhoughton,

Bolton.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.