Sir, – The following paragraph from Derek McDowell’s article (Opinion, April 11th) leapt off the page at me:
“It [Labour] needs to refute the nonsense . . . that it has broken its promises. It hasn’t, or at least none that matter. It needs to counter the notion that there is a serious alternative to what Labour is doing in Government. There isn’t.”
The above, for me, sums up a lot of what is wrong with the mentality of those in and surrounding the current leadership of the Labour Party. His claim that it is nonsense that the party has broken promises is just that – nonsense. As a party we need to own-up to having broken our most public of promises (all contained in the now famous “Every little hurts” ads). Denying this is only insulting the intelligence of the electorate and further fuelling disillusionment with Labour and increasing cynicism towards politics in general.
Mr McDowell does acknowledge that some promises have been broken but describes these promises as not mattering. This is insulting to those who have been hurt by the cuts we specifically committed ourselves to protecting them from. Many voted for us in good faith based on our pre-election promises and we have let them down. If we are to have any hope of re-establishing trust with the electorate then we must show some humility and stop denying that white is black as Mr McDowell does.
The final line that there is “no serious alternative” echoes the infamous line of Thatcher that “there is no alternative” (TINA). Some of my Labour Party colleagues have been indulging in some public satisfaction on Thatcher’s death, even deriding those of us who’ve restrained ourselves from that behaviour. They seem to believe in their naivety that her death makes some practical and positive difference to the world – it doesn’t. Her ideas, the most insidious aspect of her politics, live on and are now mainstream. It appears that many in Labour close to the leadership are now happy with TINA politics. Those members within Labour celebrating Thatcher’s death would do well to focus their energy on opposing the aspects of her politics that are now presenting themselves within our own party. – Yours, etc,
ALAN HYNES,
Secretary,
Tuam Labour Branch,
Cummer, Tuam, Co Galway.
Sir, – Further to Derek McDowell’s apologia for the current state of the Labour Party (Opinion, April 11th), one cannot but be reminded of the legendary proud mother who watched the troops march past and exclaimed, “Everyone is out of step except my Johnny!” – Yours, etc,
LOUIS O’FLAHERTY,
Lorcan Drive,
Santry,
Dublin 9.