Letter: Gordon Brown's legacy

Allow me to give Mike Underwood (Letters, 6 November) an alternative view of Gordon Brown's legacy. As chancellor he gave us ten years of gross overspending in the public sector, fuelled by borrowings so excessive that when the financial regulatory system that he himself created totally failed to do its job, we were virtually bankrupt.

Yes, as prime minister, he and Alistair Darling did act well to recapitalise the banks, but in doing so exacerbated an already dreadful position, and left the country on its knees. The resultant draconian cuts are his legacy, not the coalition's. As Mr Underwood correctly says, I hope that no government will ever make that mistake again.

JOHN DOONAN

Milrig Holdings

Kirknewton, West Lothian

IT IS admirable that Mike Underwood feels he needs to defend Gordon Brown from "vitriolic attacks". History will be much harsher.

Despite inheriting a healthy economy in 1997 and years of boom, as Mr Underwood correctly wrote, Mr Brown was clearly financially incompetent in assuming that "boom" would last.

His hubristic "no more boom and bust" should have been the brake.

Despite the "boom" many of the poorest in the country remained disadvantaged and are likely to suffer most in the coming storm.

Many in Scotland seem to lay the blame for the economic disaster at the door of Labour. Much more significant for Labour's future is that Brown, Blair, Mandelson and Alastair Campbell removed any vestiges of honour and principle from the party.

Despite the abandonment of the principles Labour once aspired to, it is heartening that Harriet Harman has kept her sense of humour, saying it was "no part of Labour's politics to try to win elections by telling lies".

Once again history will prove harsher.

BILL McLEAN

Rosemill Court

Newmills, Dunfermline