So, on the issue of road charges at least, even the Tories are now to the left of the New Labour Government.

In a rare display of altruism (and echoing ongoing Independent Working Class Association's criticisms of road charges), Oxfordshire County Council has ruled out introducing road pricing, correctly pointing out that "it would hit poorer motorists hardest" (Oxford Mail, November 9).

Road charges make no sense unless they are seen within the context of the Government's dogmatic pursuance of the anti-working class, American style, neo-liberal agenda, first introduced to this country by the Thatcher administration in 1979.

The Governments of Thatcher, Major, Blair and Brown have successfully pursued the aim of reversing traditional 'progressive taxation' by implementing layer upon layer of stealth taxes which disproportionately hit the least well off.

New Labour's attempts to push the Local Government Transport Bill, which allows councils to charge motorists for using roads without seeking permission from central government, is part and parcel of this neo-liberal agenda.

The fact that road pricing was first mooted by right wing economist Milton Friedman, guru to all four aforementioned prime ministers, says it all.

The difference between the Thatcher Government and its fawning acolyte, New Labour, is not political or economic, but merely one of tone.

Blair, Brown and Co have managed to push Thatcher's agenda further than she dared dream of by learning from her mistakes, most notably in the area of presentation.

The Local Government Transport Bill and its ilk encourage the implementation of unpopular measures by a third party (such as local councils or Government-sponsored quangos), ensuring the progress of the New Labour agenda while at the same time allowing central government to abdicate responsibility for the inevitable disastrous social consequences.

This typifies the cynical, underhanded nature of the politics of Brown and Co, and goes some way to explaining why they remain in office - even after wreaking such devastation on the British working class.

STUART CRAFT (Councillor) Independent Working Class Association Oxford City Council