ONE of the myths that the Tories have peddled in this election is that if re-elected they will spend money on the infrastructure of the North East. Yet, they have been in power for nine years now and all we have suffered is cutbacks and austerity.

In reality, the Tories care little about the old industrial areas and never have.

Under Thatcher and Major they closed the mines and steel works, whilst at the same time deliberately running down manufacturing industries on which this region has always depended.

Let us take railways for instance. The Tories privatised the network and despite huge government giveaways to private rail companies there is not much to show for it.

The trains on the Bishop Auckland line are 40 year old boneshakers and significant towns in the North East like Ferryhill, Ashington and Birtley which are situated on rail lines still don’t have a railway station.

Meanwhile in London £650 million is being spent on Whitechapel Station alone to oil the wheels of the City of London and Canary Wharf, i.e. the home of their friends in the banks and hedge funds.

Just a fraction of this £650 million could revitalise the railways of this region and provide jobs, better transport and safeguard the future of the Hitachi train factory at Aycliffe.

Labour’s plans to renationalise the rail industry and invest in the rail network generally would not solve all of the economic problems of this region, but nevertheless, would do be a welcome boost to jobs and help revitalise the regions smaller towns.

John Gilmore, Bishop Auckland.