KEVIN Gaskell is quite right when he recalls high inflation, interest rates and unemployment (Letters, last week).

What he fails to mention, though, is that these were a result of the previous Labour Government following such events as the Winter of Discontent.

By the time Tony Blair was elected, good management by the Tories had turned the economy round and reduced unemployment to nearer one million.

On the question of interest rates, which directly affect mortgages, I must agree they are at the lowest level now for about 50 years, but Tony Blair can hardly take credit for this. It was the September 11 terrorist attacks that affected the global economy so deeply that it kick-started the aggressive rate cutting of the US Federal Reserve to try to rejuvenate it. Anyway, our bank rate at 3.5 per cent is still high compared to the US and Europe.

I cannot agree with his assessment of Tony Blair either. He is only interested in himself - hardly a Christian trait - and seems to me to be doing his damnedest to destroy our way of life in this country.

Industry is besieged by regulation and red tape that is stifling our ability to compete while the main mandate on which he was elected - to improve the NHS, education and transport while reducing crime - has seen little change despite all the money that has been invested. Indeed, as far as the railways are concerned, they are far worse and set to deteriorate further in the short term.

On the question of Iraq, it seems he took us in on the pretence that in 45 minutes Saddam would be able to unleash weapons of mass destruction on the world at large, but so far none have been found. You can't find what is not there can you?

Landslide victory at the next election? On my recollections I cannot see how we can consider voting for such a man.

Gerry Ball, Hayfell Avenue, Morecambe.