THERE is a sea-change in the political, social and economic psyche of the majority of people in this country following the recent upheavals in global economic systems.

They are outraged by a financial system that rewards failure with million-pound bonuses and are now condemning the cynical assertions of the fat cats that fortunes are to be made from bankruptcies and unemployment.

They are now fully aware of how events in the financial markets can destroy their lives and those of their loved ones.

They suddenly realise that there is more to life than "spend today – pay tomorrow" and are at last beginning to realise that they are totally reliant upon the Government of the day to resolve their problems and to protect them in the future.

However, they will need to consider which political party is best placed to answer their needs.

Can they trust a Conservative Party that has vigorously supported the deregulation of markets irrespective of the effects on the middle and lower earners in our society and who dare not offend the vested interests that they totally rely on for support both politically and economically – obviously not!

They must start to realise that they are totally dependent upon this Labour Government to return to its roots and its support for the people.

Now is the time for the Labour Party to seize the day and show the people of this country that they have the will to succeed against vested interests.

The Labour Government in New Zealand has already decided that the wholesale privatisation of essential services was nothing less than a rip-off at the expense of the taxpayer and are proceeding to renationalise these services for the good of its people.

Their actions are being wildly applauded by their electorate and hopefully this trend will spread throughout the capitalist world.

Centre-left governments must rediscover the raison d'être for their existence and harness the overwhelming will of the people to see such changes pushed through.

Tony Probert North Somerset