SIR – Letters have frequently appeared on this page concerning the previous Labour government’s spending before, during and after the economic crisis of 2008.

Those of a Conservative or Liberal Democrat persuasion emphasise insufficient financial regulation and the “huge financial hole” (or “mess”) left by the Blair/Brown governments, pointing to incompetency.

Labour supporters highlight the fact the crisis was caused by the greed of financiers and bankers, was a world problem and PM Brown acted promptly and courageously to prop up the banks, rescue people’s savings and thus save the economy.

When Labour took power in 1997, they had already pledged to stick to the previous Conservative government’s spending plans and did so up to 2001. Previous Tory Chancellor Kenneth Clarke admitted he would not have stuck to them if he’d been at the Treasury.

But, it was only after 2001 that Labour started to increase spending, which was desperately needed, e.g. in health and education, and this was supported at the time by Cameron and Osborne.

Of course after the banking and financial crash, the Conservative line changed and the previous stances of Cameron andOsborne were quietly airbrushed away. The country now had a huge financial deficit and a scapegoat was close at hand.

David Hornsby, West View Avenue, Wrose