JOSEPH Marley (HAS, Oct 25) is apparently in denial on the role trade unions played in the loss of British industry as he chastises Joe Wellthorpe (HAS, Oct 21) for stating a sad fact.

Strikes and unreasonable demands from dinosaur union bosses, with excessive power, rendered our industries uncompetitive and unproductive.

This is a disease suffered by many on the left who refuse to accept the failings of their own ideology or the party which arguably did at one time represent it.

They pin no blame on the last government’s reckless spending for the recent cuts in public spending. They would rather convince themselves that it is simply a Tory ploy to spite Labour supporters.

They judge governments by what they spend, not by what they achieve.

Had our lives and public services improved in line with Labour’s out-of-control spending, I would be singing its praises.

They did not.

Almost one million manufacturing jobs lost, before the recession, one in four primary schoolchildren unable to read or write properly, school closures at rate of 150 a year, a rise in child poverty, hospital ward closures, hospital “superbugs” – the list is endless.

We had our ten richest years under Labour – Britain deserved better than this.

Des More, Darlington.