ONCE again the big conference season is over and readers can assess the performance of the leaders and recent events.

The Liberals claim their aim is now to become the main opposition party.

They hopefully are aware that position holds the responsibility to resist the temptation to make wild promises, as parties without hope of election often do. Their hopes will be boosted by the ineffective performance of the Conservative Party, whose current main occupation is fighting among themselves on a variety of issues, which itself suggests they themselves accept they are a disunited spent force.

The results of two parliamentary by-elections in the past twelve months at Ipswich and Ogmore have been disastrous for the Tories, as they failed to increase their vote. At the May council elections this year they did worse than in May 2000 under William Hague.

However, the Conservative Conference was memorable. Their new party chairman declared we (the Tories) are known as the NASTY party by many, referring to the sleaze and hypocrisy they have become renowned for, which is well documented. Their leader I.D.S. then told his party "I am a Quiet Man". This is evidenced by the fact that a recent opinion poll shows the majority of voters did not know who I.D.S. was. But the most memorable Conservative "news" must surely be the revelations by Edwina Currie regarding ex-Tory prime minister John Major. The "Back to Basics and Family Values" that he professed to believe in and lectured the nation on, has been shown to be sheer hypocrisy on a huge scale. While such disclosures grab the headlines, more importantly readers will have noted the Tories complete lack of coherent, constructive policies and leadership which runs throughout their party both locally and nationally.

The Labour Party Conference here in Blackpool made it plain and clear to the government their concerns over the use of PFI (private finance initiative) in the rebuilding of the NHS and in tackling the need to quicken the pace in providing new, modern schools. The Prime Minister addressed this issue head on in his conference speech declaring: "We are the only government in the Western World that this year, next year, and the year after, is increasing both health and education spending as a percentage of national income." He also told conference he would not say to parents and children and patients "I'm sorry due to an argument about PFI we are going to put new projects on hold", declaring the public do not care who builds them. He reminded conference that since Labour came to power just five years ago 15 NEW hospitals have been built with another 100 on the way.

During the 18 years the Conservatives were in power they built 10 hospitals. I am sure readers will remember they closed even more and equally sure they will agree the most important fact is these are NHS hospitals, which treat patients free at the point of delivery, according to their need, not how big their wallets are. Premier Tony Blair's speech pulled no punches and was well received.

He was articulate, confident and sure, showing he has the guts and determination necessary to continue the modernisation agenda that our government has embarked upon. Working Families tax credit.

The Minimum Wage. The lowest unemployment figure for over 25 years. Record increases in child benefit. The Winter Fuel allowance. Record increases in funding for education and health and the many other achievements have not just happened. They are the result of having a Labour government in office.

Jack Croysdill, Blackpool North & Fleetwood Labour Party

It can be argued that some Tory policies in the past were indeed, pernicious, however what is perhaps arguably more disgraceful is the lack of inclination to properly reverse the effects of some of those very policies... trade union legislation has had little other than lip service paid to it for example. We all remember Thatcher the milk snatcher but will we be recalling Blair as the man who replaced it or as the man who reopened all the pits? - Ed