I WAS surprised to see Councillor J Williams (LET, November 1) complaining about the fact that Blackburn with Darwen Council appears to have a surplus of housing stock.

I would have thought that as a Conservative he would have welcomed this as proof that Conservative policies worked.

The population of Blackburn has not fallen and presumably it is adequately housed, either through increased private home ownership or rented accommodation provided by private sector landlords, both of which were flagship Conservative policies.

Is there another case of a leopard changing its spots?

What kind of incentive would he be prepared to provide to induce people to make themselves homeless so they could fill these vacant properties?

If it was big enough I might be tempted.

G SMITH, Bold Street, Blackburn.

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