SIR – Talk about pots and kettles! My socialist friend Christopher Hindle would never be selective in the “facts” he uses to back his arguments. (Letters, October 28).

The 2008 financial crisis, “was a result of Thatcher’s – ie pre 1994 – financial deregulation”.

Really? Nothing at all to do with Labour protecting and encouraging the deregulated financial sector over the ten years to 2008?

Chris says the economy was beginning to grow in 2010. Really? One swallow doesn’t make a summer and whatever indicator leads him to believe that growth was beginning would surely have been crushed by the markets had austerity measures not been introduced.

Personally, I think financial markets stink, but they have huge power – especially if unregulated (and Labour was very wrong to leave them unregulated).

John Hall, Pennithorne Avenue, Baildon