Fantasy policies

I always find it annoying when letter writers distort the truth for political point scoring.

Such a letter was Having a laugh (Nov 12) from Alan Stephens, who would have readers believe that the ‘Private Finance Initiative’ (PFI) debacle was all the fault of those dreadful Tories. He may not like it but over the past 70 years – my lifetime – the Conservative party has been demonstrably better and more prudent with the economic management of the country.

PFI was indeed invented by John Major’s government in 1992 but became widespread and out of control under the financial management of Gordon Brown and the Labour party from 1997 and it was under his management that many of the worst contracts were agreed.

Labour’s last health secretary – Andy Burnham – who was in charge of no fewer than 221 PFI contracts recently had the humility to admit ‘we made mistakes’. Locally, the Queen Alexandra Hospital PFI agreement was signed under a Labour government in 2005.

All governments make financial mistakes but at the heart of Labour is fantasy politics based on ‘spend, spend, spend’.

If you really want a frightening laugh Alan, try the current Labour party’s plans for the economy.

It will leave our children and our children’s children in debt for decades.

Have they learnt nothing from their PFI splurge?

Obviously not.

Tony Hamlett

Barn Fold Waterlooville