FOLLOWING the long tenure of the late Derek Foster, Helen Goodman was parachuted into a safe Labour seat, so safe, that even through Tony Blair’s 11 year reign, Bishop Auckland was not regarded as worthy of investment.

When I was a boy, my father would quote my grandmother “Labour will promise all sorts of goodies but where is the money coming from?” Sixty years down the road, Labour is promising all sorts of goodies but where is the money coming from?

They will say anything to get into power then make a total mess if they do.

Socialism is diluted communism, a rose by another name, and there is no place for it in this, one of the most advanced nations in the world – the clue is in the title, Great Britain.

We got to this level through hard graft, innovation, entrepreneurial skills and being prepared to put our heads above the parapet. This is the Tory ideology.

Socialism smothers and suppresses these virtues, as does communism. This is the Labour ideology.

Do not support Labour because “we have always been Labour”. Think outside the box and vote Conservative.

Harold MacKenley, Cockfield