SIR – I am sorry to have to disabuse Christopher Hindle (Letters, March 3) that I am a victim of glib, Tory Buzz phrases:

(a) I am not a member of any political party

(b) regrettably my financial status falls far short of elevation to the top one per cent

(c) my comments regarding Ralph Miliband and Eric Hobsbaum are not invented right-wing phrases as Mr Hindle accuses me of, but from the obituary notices of both of them obtained from the website if he cares to check

(d) I referred to Red Len McCluskey’s influence over Ed Miliband as he was instrumental in the shafting of Ed’s brother David because Ed was more pliable.

I was too kind to McCluskey when I said he wants the repeal of the secondary picketing law. He wants the unions to be given free rein to create mayhem and, as a large number of Labour MPs are union sponsored, he will be in a position to do it if Labour is unfortunately returned to office.

All Labour governments have left the country in a worse financial mess than when they started. I recall Liam Byrne’s card reading ‘There’s no money left’ as he departed last time and that isn’t Tory Buzz.

Geoffrey Holmes, The Grove, Idle