I READ with bemusement North Durham Conservative parliamentary candidate David Skelton’s attack on the Labour Party for failing to help the North-East economy (HAS, Dec 28).

The recession has been incredibly tough for many hard-working people across our region, but the action taken by the Labour Government on the economy has offered a clear strategy to see us through the difficult times.

I dread to think what state the country would be in if it had been left to David Cameron, George Osborne and Mr Skelton’s other colleagues in the Conservative Party. If any of their half-baked ideas on the economic recovery had been implemented, it would have spelt disaster for our region.

Come the General Election, the people of North Durham and the rest of the North-East will face a clear choice between a Labour Party with the right ideas to make our economy strong again, and a Conservative Party which hasn’t changed, and which would still govern in the interests of a privileged few.

Tracie Smith, South Pelaw, Chester-le-Street, Co Durham.