RE your Comment column (Echo, Oct 21) about the Comprehensive Spending Review. I agree there will be more concentration of minds of politicians as we approach May’s local council elections when we will have felt the impact of the reduction in grant settlements received by local authorities.

I expect electors will be angry once they know much more detail of the cuts, and political parties will seek to deflect blame from their own party.

I am conscious of the pain that is to be felt. What I do question is the analysis made by the Government, which seems to believe that the measures it is taking will get the country out of the mire. It has placed too much emphasis on the reaction of financial markets, which are constantly fluctuating for a host of reasons.

Gordon Brown was right to seek international agreement by treasuries on how to stem the downturn in trade and restore growth. At a time like this there is bound to be more heat than light in what is declared by politicians. We need to be cool in how we react and to be watchful.

Geoffrey Bulmer, Billingham