SIR – Can anyone tell me why the Labour party in opposition, along with the TUC and its unions, seems hell-bent on wrecking the economic recovery of this country, when it is precisely they who have caused all the problems over the last 13 years?

When you read reports of the Frankenstein monster welfare system created by ’New’ Labour where, eg, a man and wife – unemployed – with ten children are getting £96,000 benefits a year, ie the equivalent of the Prime Minister’s salary after tax, something drastic has to be done.

However awful October’s spending review will be, against this kind of background, just what choice has the coalition got?

Does anyone realistically believe that wholesale strike action bringing enormous disruption to commuters, business and industry will help at all?

I remember vividly Great Britain being in this position in 1979, and it took draconian action to restore the confidence of world markets then, which could be avoided now if only people would bite the bullet and work together on what needs to be done.

D S Boyes, Rodley Lane, Leeds