JAMES USHER is obviously confused (letter, March 15), so let me spell it out. Public services have to be paid for. I had no time at all for Margaret Thatcher, but she did understand that if you wanted to cut taxes you also had to reduce services.

The Tories have rightly identified Labour's stealth taxes, which Liberal Democrats reject absolutely, but they then say that they will match Labour's spending plans.

The Liberal Democrats will not pretend that you can get something for nothing. We have promised to invest more in education, health and pensions and we have set out where the money will come from. We believe that standard-rate taxpayers will be prepared to pay 1p on the basic rate and the richest a little more to transform the lives of people in Britain.

CLR. ROY SMITH

Great Sankey North

Liberal Democrat PPC,

Warrington North