THE Labour party is reminding us of the ills of 18 years of Tory government. But they will be silent on some parts of their own government's record over the last eight years. So I will remind readers of Worcester News of just a few.

1 They have already curtailed our civil liberties and intend to continue to do so. First Jack Straw aimed to do away with juries for some cases, then take away the option of trial by jury in others. Then David Blunkett referred to "airy fairy civil liberties", and launched outrageous attacks on judges who ruled against the Government. The independence of the judiciary is crucial to democracy.

2 Alleged terrorists were put in prison for three years, without charge or trial.

3 All of us are now liable to be arrested and locked up without charge, without trial, and without legal representation. We can be locked up for as long as the Home Secretary decides.

4 They ordered our armed forces to go to war on Iraq on the basis of lies, killing many thousands of ordinary, innocent, children, women and men.

5 They set up inquiries which purported to be independent, a travesty of the truth.

6 Their love of Thatcher's market has dealt further blows to public service. Their behaviour has been to privatise, privatise and privatise.

7 They have stood aside while British residents were and are detained in Guantanamo Bay.

8 They want to make us all carry identity cards, on the highly questionable basis that it will defeat asylum seekers and terrorists. This should be opposed by all who value civil liberties as a bedrock of a democracy, which is fast being taken away from us.

It is time to let New Labour know what we think about these changes, many of which are reminiscent of fascist and totalitarian regimes which we have fought and opposed for the last 100 years. Where do the other candidates stand on these issues? They are much more important than current arguments about a few pounds a week into or out of our pockets.

COLIN ARCHER, Worcester.