Labour supporter C Oliver’s playground jibe that cuts in school and hospital budgets led to the 1997 Conservative General Election defeat is wholly false (letter, May 19). For example, spending on the NHS under the last Conservative administration increased in real terms by 60 per cent.

Also, if Mr Oliver wishes to play the class war card, he would do well to remember that, under Mrs Thatcher, opportunity was provided for the first time for working-class people to buy their council homes – a huge leg-up for people whom Labour previously ignored.

Finally, Mr Oliver’s claim that Labour stands for a more humane society is completely unbelievable.

Just how humane was it for the last Labour government to leave office having saddled future generations with a debt of £1 trillion accompanied by a note from the outgoing Treasury Minister saying “Sorry, we’ve spent all the money”?

COLIN SMITH, Totton Branch, New Forest East Conservatives.