I AM an 82 year old ex-serviceman, and relatively recently became disabled. Being over pension age, I do not qualify for disability allowance.

During my service career abroad, under a Labour government, we suffered extreme financial hardship due to the enforced devaluation of the pound as the overseas allowance was not increased to compensate.

At home, we suffered power cuts, uncollected garbage and complete rail strikes.

On leaving the service with a small pension, I took the first available job – they were in short supply – at 83 pence an hour.

As my wife had worked, we had managed to save enough to put a deposit on a house. We were of course extremely badly hit when the mortgage rate escalated to 15 per cent, again under a Labour government.

With the advent of the Thatcher Conservative era, interest rates dropped and my wages went up by a good amount.

I have no great regard for politicians of any party, but because my mantra is “vote for the one you think will do you least harm, none of them do you any good’’, I voted Conservative.

Alec Telford, Darlington