Gordon Brown’s borrowing (Oxford Mail, November 18) is what is steering us safely out of the recession in Oxfordshire.

Governments should borrow and spend in the middle of a downturn and pay back as the economy recovers.

The Tory-led county council will only have to make savage cuts if the country elects a Conservative government.

Keith Mitchell is taking the knife to his staff and our public services with undisguised relish. The truth is he has mishandled the county’s finances.

To scrap support for failing schools, reduce youth work, leave potholed roads unrepaired, and abolish trading standards are disasterous policies.

It just shows what we are in for if Mr Cameron ever gets his hands on the levers of power.

As for the local health service, the “cuts” story doesn’t actually stand up. We read that next year NHS Oxfordshire will actually receive an increase of no less than £40m.

No government has invested more than Labour has in doctors, nurses and new hospitals.

Thank goodness we have Gordon Brown and a Labour government steering us through these tough economic times.

The Tories would savage public spending, reduce taxes for the very rich and plunge us all back into recession.

John Tanner

Oxford City and Oxfordshire County Councillor (Labour)

Sunningwell Road

Oxford