SIR - When Mrs Thatcher came to power in 1979, I was a married man aged 35 with a child just at school.

Before I was 40, I had taken redundancy and signed on the 'dole' (£28 a week then!).

Today, aged 80, and a grandfather of two, I believe that Labour today is ten times more anti-working class than Mrs Thatcher ever was.

The 'Budget'!

Draconian tax rises on businesses?

These will put not only pay rises at risk, but jobs also.

The so-called economic expansion is just a fantasy in our de-industrialised society, which is hampered by high taxes, high energy costs, plus the nightmare of net zero carbon.

Our Labour Party victimises the OAP over and over again, e.g. by means-testing of the Winter Fuel Allowance.

But no criteria like that applied to the 'Chancellor,' who enjoys four different 'homes,' i.e. two taxpayer-funded, grace and favour ones at Downing Street and also a country-seat - Dorneywood! (a constituency home whose bills are paid on expenses) - plus Rachel Reeves's own London 'family' home, now rented out for profit.

To think we once laughed at and scorned deputy prime minister John Prescott for having two Jaguar cars.

Labour today?

Greedy 'closet capitalists' all!

Also, of the inflation-busting pay rises for junior doctors (22 per cent) and train drivers (15 per cent), plus Home Office staff (nine per cent), and even the minimum wage up by 6.7 per cent?

OAPs get 4.1 per cent only, and that's subject to tax [etc.].

From 2010, my wife and I became gradually better off in retirement under the Conservatives, but today under Labour are going backwards financially!

Mr DS Boyes, Upper Rodley Lane, Leeds, LS13 1DT (A657 Leeds/Shipley Road)