TONY Blair's moving and wide-ranging speech was more significant in its ommissions than its inclusions.

He wisely advocated the use of funds from council house sales to take families out of bed and breakfast.

But instead of helping the housing market by buying cheap repossessions which are immediately available, he proposes in the long term to construct new housing at twice the price on ghetto estates.

Blair and the Labour Party, Major and the Conservative Party seem determined to make the ownership of a home a debt burden for life rather than an investment for the future or funds for old age.

The 15 per cent+ interest rate used to prop up an overvalued pound may have helped multinationals exporting capital overseas, but it was a financial disaster for home owners who have turned in droves to the Labour Party only to be ignored. The only difference in current housing policy between Labour and Conservatives, is that Labour wants us to rent from a council and the Conservatives want us to rent from private landlords or a housing association.

If both Labour and Conservatives refuse in policy statements to help the repossessed and home debtors they should not get our votes.

The Lib Dems tend to tag along with subtle variations on main party policies.

If home-owners voted for them because we have been betrayed by the others, perhaps someone would attend to our needs.

JOHN GUY, Secretary Home Owners Group, Spencer Sq, Ramsgate, Kent.

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