Letter: No promises, no danger

Your leading article "New Labour, no thrills" (29 September) could, in its entirety, have been applied to the Conservative Party before the 1979 general election.

As the last three elections have shown, by making commitments the Labour Party is merely providing hostages to fortune. Whatever spending promises Labour makes, the Tories treble it and then double the income tax rise that would be needed to finance them. Tony Blair can hardly be blamed for being cagey. Margaret Thatcher did the same and her government was not noted for its tedium, unfortunately.

You say that Mr Blair could be in power for 10 years. Who knows, this might be a good thing. However, judging the quality of those 10 years, some nine months before they have started, is folly in the extreme.

It takes talent and tenacity to do so little for so long as John Major. In his actions in reforming the Labour Party, Mr Blair has shown that he is a different beast from the one he is seeking to force out of office.

Paul Sharp

London N11