The budget

The Labour Government was also forced to admit that Britain faces the longest recession since the Second World War, the fastest rise in unemployment on record, with every newborn child already owing £22,500 in national debt.

Moreover, Chancellor Alistair Darling announced new City Region pilot schemes for Leeds and Greater Manchester, which should bring increased investment and growth opportunities, but ignored the Tees Valley.

Our City Region proposal has been supported by businesses and local government across the area as a means to bring investment and grow our local economy.

The Government should look again, as soon as possible, to protect jobs and strengthen our local economy. It was a mistake to ignore the needs of the Tees Valley in the Budget, which was a wasted opportunity to put Teesside back on track.

Conservatives will tackle Labour’s debt crisis and deliver economic change.

Paul Bristow, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

PERHAPS the rich have had their comeuppance in the Budget. The responsibility of the current economic mess rests upon the shoulders of those with the power or, at least, perceived control. The banks have shown how reckless they have been.

The Budget has highlighted a number of things. Of course, we are in a recession so we didn’t expect anything other than a difficult Budget. It is how we do it. Surely we have to get the economy moving and is there something wrong in investing, rather than cutting, our way out of a recession?

We need proper investment and, quite honestly, the route proposed by the Government isn’t that off-the-mark. The debate on the Government’s part in the present debacle is another issue; the important thing is getting us out of recession.

Getting back to the rich.

Surely, when we are in the severe difficulties that we are in – with job losses, home repossessions and evictions, together with encouraging the aspirations of the young as well as coping with the fears of the older generation – we need to inject some financial metal that returns us to the main agenda.

Bernie Walsh, Coxhoe, Durham.

I AM no economist, but I fail to see the sense in the Government ploughing billions of pounds of our money into the manufacturing industry in general and the motor industry specifically.

If consumers are concerned about their employment future, or are experiencing difficulty in obtaining credit, how on earth does anyone expect a massive increase in the demand for manufactured goods or cars?

I believe a more sensible approach would have been to invest in a countrywide programme of construction projects.

This would have employed and secured thousands of jobs, placing hard cash in the hands of people who would then spend it on manufactured goods, cars, etc.

I foresee acres upon acres of cars standing unsold... and a bankrupt economy.

Kevin Roddam, Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham.