MY recent letter which gave details of several government grants given to Blackpool for various projects also mentioned the many government initiatives that have benefited all residents.

They have all been supported by our Labour MPs. These facts certainly caused a panic among some Tories, notably Peter Roscoe, who is well known for his vitriolic pen, his often ill thought-out and wild unfounded and quite often unfathomable accusations.

It is pleasing to me that my letter got the proverbial under garments in such a twist. One reader N Farrimond suggests the Working Families Tax Credit is a fudge. That is interesting and totally at odds with the information that many families have given me.

Perhaps the writer should widen the circle within which they move. The same letter attacks live-in partners but pointedly not divorced people. Does this perhaps suggest a rather prudish nature? The writer also states that the minimum wage is a joke, claiming jobs are advertised at less than the minimum wage. When this occurs the offender is taken to court. If N Farrimond has evidence of this exploitation surely he should report it!

Unfortunately some people have short memories. During the Tory years adverts for jobs offering as little as £1.50 and less per hour were common. A famous one for a night watchman offered £1.50 per hour and applicants were required to provide their own dog!

Thankfully most people do remember and returned the government with another large majority. They know the foundations for a better society are being laid and that investment in public services does take time to come through. However, some changes are already apparent -- we no longer read of hospital ward closures or hasn't anyone else noticed this?

Our two MPs Joan Humble and Gordon Marsden deserve to be congratulated. They have worked hard to protect local jobs. It had been announced that hundreds of Inland Revenue jobs were to be moved from Blackpool. After meeting the chairman of the Inland Revenue Sir Nicholas Montague with whom they discussed in great detail the proposals, the Inland Revenue did a U-turn and agreed a new call centre should be placed in the resort after all.

Jack Croysdill,

The Labour Party,

Blackpool North & Fleetwood.