YOUR report on possible increases to Blackburn councillors' allowances (LET, December 14) highlights New Labour in all its glory.

Here we have Blackburn's socialists councillors out to line their own pockets.

First, they get their snouts into the trash with the £8 million bill for the change to unitary status. Then, they tell us that they are going to cut services.

The question is: what services? The few that we have fall substantially below expectations and are of a substandard quality.

Now they have the audacity to proffer their begging bowl for even more in the way of expenses and allowances.

Yet, as usual, they cannot make the decision themselves. As is becoming the norm when an issue is set to test their ability, they bring in an outside body to sort the problem out, so if it goes wrong they can pass the buck.

WALT MEADOWS, Whalley New Road, Blackburn.

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