While I share no truck with the Conservatives, the disingenuous, misleading comments from Labour councillor Ann Harrison on the shortage of social housing within the borough and accusing the Conservative Government of being responsible has its own star-studded status in political ‘Cloud Cuckoo Land’.

However, going off ‘half-cocked’ appears to be part of the everyday story of the local Labour party.

The Conservative Governments of Mrs Thatcher and John Major were in office from 1979 until 1997.

Conservative Governments by tradition have never promoted or encouraged the concept of social housing.

However, during their period of 18 years in office, the number of dwellings built by local authorities and registered social landlords aggregated to the total of 913,690.

The Labour Government was in office from 1997 until 2010.

Labour Governments by contrast have encouraged and promoted the concept of social housing.

However, during the period of 13 years the Labour Government was in office the number of dwelling built by local authorities and registered social landlords only aggregated to a total of 290,750.

Therefore, the average number of homes built each year during the Conservative period of 18 years in office, totalled 50,761.

Now spot the difference?

The average number of homes built each year during the period 1997 until 2008 when the Labour Government finally abandoned its social housing obligations completely, totalled 24,299.

The Labour Government then compounded their abject failure to honour its ‘chest beating pledges’ to those it claims to represent by sending out recruitment teams to every member state in the EU, inviting them to send their unemployed, homeless and even those unable to speak English to come to this country, the Labour land of opportunity?

During that period of a Labour Government, in excess of four million arrived.

I rest my case.

Frank Ward

Chairman, Hertsmere UKIP