I HAVE been amazed by Tony Blair's response to the fuel crisis. "It's not my fault" he cries before blaming everyone from OPEC to the Tories for Labour's massive increase in petrol taxes. I may be mistaken, but I thought Labour won the last election.

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are all too ready to claim credit for every alleged Government success, but they refuse to own up to their mistakes. Perhaps it's time they looked a little more closely at the Labour Government's record on fuel tax before they try and blame someone else for the current crisis.

It's the Labour Government that increased fuel tax by 34 per cent in just three years.

It's the Labour Government that has allowed the price of petrol to soar from 59p to over 85p a litre.

It's the Labour Government that has cost the average family another £350 a year in additional fuel costs.

It's the Labour Government that has forced millions of families into a position where they pay more to fill up their car than they do on the weekly shop.

After Tony Blair's first three years in power there's only one thing to blame for the current crises: it's the Labour Government.

James Stevens

Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Bolton West

New Hall Lane,

Heaton, Bolton