THEY proclaimed to be the only party of change at the General Election, yet last week the Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister gave his clearest commitment yet to reinstate one of the most shameful and barbaric pastimes of this country; to repeal the law on hunting with dogs.

At a time when the economy is shrinking, rising inflation and unemployment ever increasing, the clear priority for the Conservative-led coalition is the killing of defenceless wild creatures.

This should be no surprise. They spoke of change at the election, yet still support the hereditary principle in the House of Lords. They spoke of change, yet scrapped the Building Schools for the Future Fund, Education Maintenance Allowance and the Future Jobs Fund.

They spoke of change, yet take tax credits away from struggling families. They spoke of change, yet continue to isolate Britain on the fringes of Europe by aligning with homophobic and extreme right wing parties.

Allow us to be under no doubt; these are not the policies of change, but are the very values which have defined the Conservative Party and principles in which it was founded upon since 1834.

Dan Sidley, Labour Party candidate for Fishergate, Holgate Road, York.