THE penalising of Bromsgrove council taxpayers for electing a prudent Conservative council by cutting its rate support grant to well below neighbouring Labour councils (Redditch and Worcester) is nothing short of political blackmail.

This Government will stop at nothing to stay in power and look after Tony's cronies, including Virgin train owner Branson who has just sold Blair a cheap helicopter.

Any council tax increase in Bromsgrove will not personally affect me, because after more than 30 years, my house was hijacked into the socialist republic of Birmingham a few years ago by boundary changes.

I'm now ruled by a council that a few years ago banned the franking of any of its Christmas mail with the words: merry Christmas, in case it offended any of its large immigrant population who were not Christians.

The mail had to be franked: merry winterval. No, I haven't invented this story.

H Barker,

Lyall Gardens,

Rubery,

Birmingham.