Tory Party Conference

It is good to see that ordinary men, who are not the top brass, are prepared to defend and upholds this party. I must admit that in parts of David Cameron’s conference speech I thought he was speaking for me.

I have had the good fortune to have a good job throughout my working life. I have bought my own house and I have savings. Mr Cameron seemed to be praising me because I had done the right thing. Capitalism has handed out a great deal of austerity but it has not affected me. Why am I not an enthusiastic supporter?

Mr Crick writes about the economy, blaming the Labour Party for the world economic crisis brought about by the toxic practices of the bankers and insufficient regulation. He forgets the circumstances which gave rise to the defeat of the Conservatives in 1997 which was financial incompetence signing up to an arrangement which meant the pound sterling could keep parity with the deutschmark. Until then, the Conservatives were able to convince electors of financial competence and they need to restore that faith to get elected next year. Mr Cameron will need far more than polished speech to do that. In fact, he admits that the country will not reach the promised uplands until 2018 and only after more austerity.

The Conservatives want tax cuts for the well-placed. In many ways, I am well placed but I believe that I should be prepared to pay my full whack to preserve what is good for the majority. They will not get my vote.

G Bulmer, Billingham.

I WONDER how many watched the latest TV soap called the Conservative Party Conference?

It represented the death throes of a Prime Minister who has lost all respect and was, by offering promise after promise, trying to make amends.

After his speech, I realized what the real meaning of 'the promised land' meant.

David Cameron is a typical Tory. He makes inviting promises to gain control then finds it impossible to deliver.

On his vote-catching promise to boost the NHS with millions in extra cash, I say, beware.

We have seen it all before, with our major energy producers which were brought up to standard with public money before being sold off to the private companies.

On his Middle East policies, I would also like to point out that, if it ever came to the point of 'putting boots on the ground', after all the drastic cuts in our armed forces we would have to send in the Boys Brigade.

T Seale, Middlesbrough IF the Tories have achieved one thing at their party conference, it is that they have proved they are still the same old nasty party who will spit on the poorest in society at any given opportunity.

If elected in 2015, as well as the promise to freeze benefits for claimants both in work and out of work, which in real terms results in a cut, they also plan to humiliate people by putting benefits on pre-loaded cards in order to dictate how they are spent.

At the same time, they have the gall to suggest they are helping the working poor by raising the tax-free allowance from £10,500 to £12,500. This rise is of very little significance, if any at all, to the working poor, due to the aforementioned benefit freeze and the fact that any gain will be counteracted by a reduction in Working Tax Credit.

This is unlike the higher earners who stand to gain from both the rise in tax-free allowance and the increase of the 40p income tax threshold from £41,900 to £50,000.

This, along with the threat of further cuts to public services, surely serves as a warning to anyone who is considering voting Tory at the next General Election.

David Lowdon, Sunnybrow.