SIR – John Phillpott recently wrote that he was “perplexed by the lack of response to the letters (to the editor) criticising New Labour” in your paper. (Worcester News, August 6).

There has always been an attitude inside the Labour party of ‘my party, right or wrong’, which regards criticism and even discussion in public as damaging and should be confined to private party meetings.

This was taken to its extreme by New Labour, who closed down the internal democratic processes of the party and turned its annual conference into a marketing event.

Policy-making was channelled into secret ‘policy forums’ populated by leadership-approved individuals, heavily influenced by focus groups.

Membership participation was confined to sending letters and e-mails to some party functionary (currently Peter Hain MP) allowing you to have your say.

This was patronising in the extreme to serious political people who have deserted the party in droves.

What is left is a compliant membership to whom Labour is a brand, not a belief; a lifestyle, not a cause, and which affords access to civic offices. Policy is left to the national leadership who will inform them regularly what to believe in, and is none of the public’s business.

Your perplexity will remain unrelieved, John.

Peter Nielsen
Worcester