IN YOUR letters page last week, Mr & Mrs Williams asked whether those who voted Conservative would give their reasons. I’m very happy to do that.

I voted Conservative because the party supports initiative and growth.

Since being in government, David Cameron and his colleagues have pulled the country out of recession, providing the fastest growing economy in the developed world.

That, in turn, has created nearly 800,000 new jobs, with unemployment falling to its lowest level for nearly a decade – in the Cotswolds, it stands at just 0.4 per cent.

Inflation has also fallen to its lowest level since records began.

It is the economy which drives living conditions. Get that right, and the standard of living assuredly improves – for everyone.

Seventy-five per cent of Cotswolds businesses employ less than five people.

It is those businesses who thrive on a growing economy and a government that encourages businesses, as opposed to the anti-business attitude of Labour, where initiative is stifled.

Add to that to the spectre of Labour linking with the SNP, to create an even more socialist agenda, and you get the picture of why so many people in the Cotswolds voted Conservative.

We have seen in France what happens with socialist governments – higher taxation, strangling restrictions on small businesses and a dead economy.

There is one other answer to the Williams’ question – the often abusive and negative campaigning by some candidates – that tactic has never found favour amongst Cotswolds residents and our MP’s increased majority reflected that.

BARRY GIBBS

Chavenage Lane

Tetbury