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IT IS obvious now that the abolition of the 10p income tax band has harmed the Government.

The last time Labour did this badly in the polls was in 1968 when Harold Wilson was Prime Minister and I remember him saying that he never commented on election results in either good times or bad.

Two years later, Edward Heath's Conservatives were elected.

With the notable exception of a reduction in crime, nothing of late has gone right for the Government.

It will have to improve, but the lessons of history do not look good for Labour.

LD Wilson, Guisborough.

NOW that the Conservatives have had their much predicted good day at the local elections, may I suggest that the man in the street will see nothing new - nobody knows anyhow what Tory policies are.

Andrew Neil on the Today in Politics TV programme said we would like to discuss Tory policies if we only knew what they were.

Boris Johnson will have to watch council tax go sky high in London to pay for the 2012 Olympics.

Some commentators say the Olympics are awarded to cities as a punishment, leaving them in horrendous debt for many years, and London will be no exception.

What I suspect Tory councils will do, or try to do, is to run down some public services in order to reduce council tax. I was pleased to see the Tory gains were not so great in the North as in the Shires and the South.

Also interesting was the percentage turnout - many around 30 per cent and 40 per cent. It will be a different story come a general election still two years away - hopefully giving Mr Cameron many sleepless nights.

Hugh Pender, Darlington.

GORDON Brown says he is going to listen to the people. What has he been doing for the past ten years, had his head stuck up his kilt with a sporran in each ear?

Maybe he thinks a lot of us are stupid enough for us to change our minds because he says after being given a resounding vote of no confidence he had better listen, or does he mean grovel to save his political skin?

Malcolm Stubley, Barnard Castle.

MAY we extend our grateful thanks to all those voters who supported us in the recent election for Spennymoor and Middlestone Moor.

We will continue to serve the people of our town in whatever capacity we can.

Let us hope the new unitary councillors will speak with clarity and vigour to obtain an equitable share of resources for Spennymoor.

Coun Agnes Armstrong and Coun Bill Waters, Labour.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the successful Liberal Democrat candidates on May 1. Your hard work and dedication to the campaign was well rewarded.

Commiserations to the Lib Dem candidates who lost out this time.

Thanks also to all other campaigners, leafleters etc who also worked for the success. A special thanks for Betty Todd, whose tireless work made sure that every candidate's paperwork was on time.

The work goes on to do even better next time.

Coun Vince Perkins, Press Officer Lib Dems, Bishop Auckland Constituency.

ON behalf of the seven UK Independence Party candidates in the Hartlepool local elections, I wish to extend a warm vote of thanks to the electorate for its endorsement of Ukip as a significant presence on the political map of the town.

May 1 was a night of success, near misses and an all-round increase in support for Ukip.

Personally I must thank the 373 voters in Rossmere ward who supported me and offer congratulations to Labour's Mick Johnson for a fair and civilised contest. The outcome moved me from third to second place (over 2007) and reduced Labour's majority.

The stranglehold of Labour in Hartlepool in slipping fast. They polled 32 per cent of all votes cast, which means that 68 per cent voted against them.

Dave Pascoe, UK Independence Party, Hartlepool Branch.

9:51am Saturday 10th May 2008

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