SIR: How can Paul Carter (Sept 3: BEN) advise the electors of Bolton SE to vote Tory; blaming Labour local councillors for the disastrous state of the country, when his party is financially strangling them? They are responsible for all, due to their arrogant policies. Here are a few: higher taxes, abolition of Prices and Incomes Board, unemployment, shakeout of industry by Thatcher, cuts in benefits for poor, multitudes on Social Security, employed people fearing for their own jobs, VAT on fuel, Poll Tax, CSA, BSE, guns for Iraq, Westland Affair, salmonella, money for parlimentary questions, impending road tolls and mileage charged in motorways, plus the Snoopers Charter, sleaze, and unelected quangos.

The BSE started in 1980 due to his government ditching restrictions on animal feed, allowing dead animals to be fed as animal food. As for this government running a successful economy - what about the £16.2 million written off as a sweetener to their privatisations since they came to power, and millions more in subsidies to privatised railways?

I do believe that Mr Carter is under-estimating the intelligence of the electorate of Bolton SE and will realise it when the results are finalised.

A E Ivers

Harrowby Street, Farnworth.

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