I CAN only assume from the media's portrayal of Tony Blair and the Labour Government that they either have a very short memory or are wilfully ignoring reality.

It is clearly the trend to attack the Prime Minister and the Government on every possible issue. This has gone on long enough, it's time to welcome the good the Labour Government has done for us and look at the other options offered to the country.

The Hutton report cleared Tony Blair and the Government of any wrongdoing. This Prime Minister has come through the problems in Northern Ireland, the former Yugoslavia - Serbia, Slovakia - war in Iraq, top-up fees, foundation hospitals and so on.

During the past 50 years the Conservatives had 36 years in power, but what did they achieve?

They sold council houses which has led to today's housing shortages.

Unemployment shot up and whole industries were driven into the ground.

Did the Tories help those suffering as a result? No, they ignored them and cut support to vulnerable people.

What did they do about public transport?

What did they do about hospital waiting lists?

What did they do about education?

What did they do about public services?

Under the Labour Party, more doctors and nurses are in our hospitals. Inflation has been kept between two and three per cent during the past five years.

We have low unemployment, low bank rates and mortgage rates and our economy is among the world's top six.

We have thousands more students going to university.

We have more police and they are still the best force in the world.

Mrs Ann Finch,

Kingsway North, York.

Updated: 10:51 Thursday, February 19, 2004