10 JUNE 2000, Page 26

LETTERS Labour's new clothes

From Mr Randhir Singh Bains Sir: Your leader (3 June) rightly states that the government's anti-elitism campaign stems from its aversion to noting the differ- ence between an elitist and an oligarch. However, there is another simple explana- tion: it is merely a ploy to mask Labour's growing shift to the Right.

Labour now accepts that economic egali- tarianism, reducing the gap between the rich and the poor, is an unachievable goal. It has, therefore, replaced it with political egalitarianism, bridging the gulf between the ruler and ruled. Devolution, the setting up of the London Authority etc., these are but a few examples of this change.

However, on vital issues such as the econ- omy, education and health, Labour's poli- cies remain indistinguishable from those of the Tories except that these policies are projected with a heavy dose of left-wing nuances such as race and gender equality, anti-elitism, etc. In reality, this government has no core policies.

Randhir Singh Thins

Gants Hill, Essex