YOUR VIEWS

AS a daily reader of the Bulletin I am quite aware of which side of the political divide Ray Fleming's opinions fall - almost without exception - and I'm sure like many readers I can predict his viewpoint from the headline of his column without having to read it. Today was no exception.

However in the interest of providing your readers with some balance, allow me to take up a couple of points Ray Fleming makes. Let's start with Experience. I am not aware that the Labour Government formed by Blair and Brown in 1997 brought experience and proven competence with them after 20 years of Conservative rule. How could they? Nor did they have a record of achievement either, but like three previous Labour administrations in my lifetime, they have created and presided over huge amounts of fiscal debt. So full marks for achievement on that score.

Accepting that my knowledge of national and international economics is limited I do know from 30 years in business that politicians do not by themselves make decisions in isolation, nor do they combine their limited intellect alone to find solutions. They are supported by vast armies of advisors in the shape of the Civil Service staffed by economists and strategists supported by the Bank of England who provide their financial expertise. So whilst the current Labour Government has weathered the financial storm of a world wide recession the Brown/Darling team have not done it alone.

What they have done however is add significantly to the UK's fiscal debt by selling off the country's Gold Reserves for a pittance to expand the public sector - which does not create wealth, but does create jobs; produced a generation of school leavers which a large majority of the business community consider are not fit for purpose, despite enormous amounts of money being spent on Education. They have led the country into 2 wars, which have added enormously to the county's fiscal burden and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Social mobility has fallen and the gap between rich and poor has widened and as a result of all this the country is on the verge of bankruptcy. It's this kind of experience I believe the UK can do without.

The UK is living beyond its means, so why would voters want to re-elect a political party that has created this mess? After 13 years of power you can't blame anyone else either. So putting experience to one side I would say this to Ray Fleming, Labour has had its chance and they have run out of ideas and are a spent force. The UK has huge fiscal debt; the unions are flexing their muscles and threatening disruption and whilst the country has not yet gone to the IMF for a bail out - it's time for change.

Andy Pratt, Palma