Remember, Labour lost the election with a good kicking

Published: 27 May, 2010

• READING your May 20 letters and opinion columns has made it clear that I must have been living in a parallel universe since 1997.
From my memory, Tony Blair was elected with a massive popular mandate and mantra of “education, education, education”. I don’t sense that I am in the midst of a highly educated population. Many with whom I come into contact seem rather vulgar and ill-educated.

Blair then became full of his own celebrity. Then he took us into a war without due diligence. There was huge spending on the public sector, some of it wholly warranted, but the checks and controls were wrongly designed and many millions of public money went to waste.

Then, having sold gold at rock bottom and racked up the national debt from a modern-time low, we had a change of PM. Then Gordon Brown was exposed as not so smart after all, and a grumpy meddler. Sure, the international situation contrived against him, but he was part of the build-up to that and our economy has ended up as a near basket case: for every four pounds spent, one is borrowed.

It is likely that the ramifications of New Labour’s economic mismanagement of the economy will affect us all for decades to come.
On defence, New Labour has a disgraceful record. Failure to provide the armed forces with the numbers and equipment needed. Deaths that were often avoidable.

It was not all bad, of course, but then it’s inevitable that some good things will be done in 13 years at the helm.  I salute New Labour’s improvements to the health service and I salute their part in helping to make this country more at ease with itself.

I gave New Labour a fair wind in 1997, as the Tories had then disgraced themselves, not on the economy, which was much improved, but on sleaze.  New Labour has failed on its big promises – on education and on the economy – and it failed on defence.

Why cannot its supporters accept that Labour lost the election with a good kicking, and deservedly so? Why not put country first and wish the incoming coalition well?
Locally the higher turnout for the general election benefited Labour. I hope its new administration understands that.
LESTER MAY
Reachview Close, NW1