I READ with interest your editorial comment on Saturday (Apr 18) "A miracle or a mirage" and, in particular, the quote: "Ed Miliband has been so unconvincing as a potential prime minister, until last night’s TV debate.”

Having played a small role in the past 15 General Elections until the debate my forecast outcome was that neither the Labour or Tory party would have an overall majority and the SNP would be the party with the third largest number of MPs leading to another coalition government.

However, when the leader of the SNP offered to work with Labour in a coalition Ed Miliband's response was: "I've spent a lifetime fighting the Tories - your party let them into office.”

The inevitable outcome without SNP support is a minority Labour or Tory Government.

The Labour leader needs a lesson in history.

He should be reminded of 1974 when we had an election in the February resulting in a minority government and a second election in the October leading to a Labour Government with a majority of three under Harold Wilson.

Mr Wilson (and James Callaghan) managed to carry on for five years. The Labour government survived with the help of the 11 SNP members of parliament, who were kept on board by Mr Wilson introducing the Barnett Formula to positively discriminate in providing financial assistance to Scotland. This was a decision which caused considerable recriminations within the Cabinet and the parliamentary party. Indeed, if the formula had been applied on the same basis to the English regions both the North-East and West would have been financial gainers.

In 1979, the Labour government was ousted by Margaret Thatcher and the Tory Party continued in office until 1997. Not only did Labour lose the election, but the gang of four (David Owen, Roy Jenkins, Bill Rogers and Shirley Williams) who had been in Wilson's Cabinet defected and set up the SDP.

No Ed, the SNP kept Labour in Government for five years....the Wilson government let the Tory Party rule for 18 years after.

Billy Neilson, Bishop Auckland.