BY and large the people of Blackburn have little to complain of after the swingeing 17 per cent increase in council tax (LET, March 5) - it is of their own making.

They have, over recent years, given the incumbent Labour administration its head to destroy the town and its amenities and waste inordinate amounts of taxpayers' cash.

This time they are increasing the tax by three times the national average, even twice the Tories' estimate of eight per cent.

What was known during the war as giving comfort and succour to the enemy is what 70 per cent of the town's electorate have done by not voting in the last elections.

Consequently, this motley bunch of councillors think they have a mandate, through default, to perform in the manner that Labour is accustomed to.

One has only to look into the future when Blackburn becomes a unitarian authority to see that Liverpool will look second division.

WALT MEADOWS, Whalley New Road, Blackburn.

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