In July Gordon Brown announced his next comprehensive review on the Government's planned expenditure which, if the Tories win the next general election, will be cut by 1.3 per cent a year equating to a staggering £16 billion shortfall in public spending.

The £16 billion shortfall will have to be made up from somewhere and this can only be done by cuts in spending in areas like schools and education, Home Office and police, highways and transport, and/or increased borrowing which would result in higher mortgage rates.

(Mrs) OLIVE BROWN

White Edge Moor

Liden