AS I witnessed the frenzied scramble for shares, as our government gave away one of the country’s prized assets, it further confirmed why I am a socialist.

David Cameron’s pals in the City obtained a notable chunk, while foreign investors swallowed up in a larger share.

No surprise there then.

When Mr Cameron and George Obsorne stated that Britain was open for business, they should have said: “Come to the land of milk and money and fill your boots.”

All of this was happening while queues were forming at food banks and hospital accident and emergency departments, and while pensioners, victims of the iniquitous bedroom tax and other low income families were waiting in trepidation for their energy bills to drop through the letter box as winter approaches.

Meanwhile, the usual suspects continue to monopolise this column in pursuance of the Government’s pre-election strategy, ie the mess left by the previous administration and the character assassination of Ed Miliband.

I would remind them that the Coalition promised to wipe out the deficit during this parliament. Instead, come the next election the deficit is expected to be at least £90bn while the national debt has doubled during their watch. In the latter case, we are talking in trillions not billions.

When an important decision, affecting our country, was needed, it was Ed Miliband who stood up against the Murdoch empire. It was Mr Miliband’s statesmanship that prevailed when Mr Cameron was ready to join in the Syrian civil war.

So what of the Liberal Democrats who discarded their basic principles in preference for power? They continue to talk of their influence in a future coalition.

My advice to them is to stop dreaming. After the next election, they will most probably, not have enough MPs to fill a telephone box.

Maurice Baker, Spennymoor.