LIKE many other people, I welcome the changes to stamp duty - but they are much long overdue and simply not enough.

I have to ask what planet does Mr Brown live on? Where does he get his figures? First-time buyers are paying well over £120,000 and his announcement is, quite frankly, not worth the paper it is written on.

I was a first-time buyer in September, when I bought a property for £117,500 - I have missed out on this "electioneering" offer by a matter of months. Furthermore, what has Mr Brown done to the value of my house?

I had it valued in November after spending £3,000 on interior decorating. I was then told to expect £123,000 if I wanted to sell.

One cannot miss the fact that house prices have steadied. We have to be honest - who will offer £123,000 when they can offer £119,999 and not pay any stamp duty?

Therefore by doing basic calculations I have lost £4,000 in the value of my house, £1,500 in stamp duty paid last year and £3,000 in interior decorating (spent to increase the value). This is a total in the region of £8,000.

The Liberal Democrats are the only option for both first-time buyers and families alike - our pledge is to raise the threshold to some £150,000.

This would allow the housing market to stay "alive" where needed, yet remove this utterly unfair taxation for those who can not afford it. I must ask the question, how would Mr Brown and Mr Blair like me to move up the housing ladder to start a family with my wife-to-be?

To save for more stamp duty, I need to work. My salary is not huge and, quite frankly, the idea of a family seems impossible for the next few years.

I work on average 70 hours a week just to make ends meet. All this world needs is some fairness. The Labour Party seems to have forgotten the meaning of the word.

Mr Brown, you have cost me £8,000. So good luck for the election - you certainly need it!

COUNCILLOR ALEX KEAR,

Claines Ward, Worcester.