AS an ex-Labour voter I was amused to read Councillor Don Thom-as's In My View column (May 13).

A more bitter and twisted view would be hard to find and just about sums up the Labour party. Also, what an insult to the people of Southampton after they have decided they want a new regime in power.

I gave up supporting Labour when Tony Blair took us into the illegal war in Iraq which has resulted in hundreds of our serviceman being killed, but things at a local level under Labour have also been disastrous.

Look at the state of our roads, the decline in public services, the way Ports-mouth has overtaken Southampton as a booming and cultural city, the lack of facilities in the city, massive increases in council tax. All down to Labour.

Then, of course, there was the Lib-Lab pact, proving that Labour and the Lib Dems have a complete disregard for democracy.

I believe the Tories have a lot of hard work to do clearing up the mess they have inherited, but at the next elections in two years our great city will be flourishing once more.

Cllr Thomas, rather than slinging mud at the Conser-vatives, you should be taking a long hard look at your party and why it is so unpopular nationally and locally.

JAMES MOSS, Southampton.