HOW dishonorable for leadership contenders to blame all responsibility for Labour’s defeat on the shoulders of Ed Miliband. If the founders of Labour were somehow to hear what is now said inside the party they would turn in their graves. They often paid a heavy price for their convictions.

As for the suggestion that the whole of the Conservative argument needs to be adopted as Labour’s policy I think the idea takes the prize for being unprincipled. If that is what the Labour Party has become it deserves to disappear into history.

For what it is worth, I will get a ballot to vote for the leadership this time. I know ballots are secret but unless there is someone I can vote for because I see an ounce of integrity on this occasion I will not record a vote. I returned to the party because I thought it had changed. Am I to think of leaving it once again?

G Bulmer, Billingham.