The truthfulness of any declaration made by Labour is yet again called into question by the truly shocking figures just published by the independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

These figures, which provide further devastating evidence of the gap between Labour's rhetoric on poverty and the grim reality, show that since Labour came to power in 1997 the number of people classified as very poor has increased by half

a million. The number of people living below the poverty line has increased by 1 million.

Once again, pensioners are suffering most, with increased dependency on state benefits, less help from local authorities and more winter deaths. It is difficult to imagine a greater indictment of this so-called socialist Government.

-Mrs Doreen Radford, Eastern Road, Brighton