Madam, - In recent weeks, a lot has been said on various topics by Labour party politicians, both in and out of contention for the party leadership or deputy leadership. The term social democrat has been used frequently by all of them (for example by Proinsias De Rossa in yesterday's letters page), but I have not seen the word "socialism" used once.
I have now been told that the party's Wexford conference is likely to debate a proposal to replace the term "democratic socialist" in the party's constitution with "social democratic." Why are Labour people suddenly so phobic about the s-word? Has the term "democratic socialism" now become an embarrassment, instead of being a term to be used with confidence and pride? - Yours, etc,
RICHARD BARRETT,
The Turrets,
Upper Rathmines Road,
Dublin 6.