Get real: Ray Thompson (Advertiser, November 20) needs to get real about a couple of things. First, the old Clause Four (iv) of the Labour Party Constitution was only one of several sub-clauses, and the only one to say nothing very much at all.

Whereas the others called for very specific things (albeit little to which any traditional Tory or Liberal might have objected), sub-clause iv was simply a device: people who already believed ideologically in large-scale public ownership (which it does not actually mention on any scale) could read that into the text in front of them, and thus be kept sweet.

But when has Labour ever called for the nationalisation of every farm, factory, shop and bank? If Mr Thompson's reading of Clause Four (iv) were correct, then Labour ought to have done this at least once. In fact, Labour was set up specifically in order to counteract the rise of Marxism in Britain, by redressing the grievances that might otherwise have led people to support a Communist revolution.

This has been a spectacular success, which is why the British sectarian left's many factions hate Labour more than they hate the Tories or even each other (which is saying quite something). I support renationalisation of the railways for strictly pragmatic reasons. When analysed, every sub-clause of the new Clause IV is utterly meaningless. Like the old one, it will be used to justify whatever happens to be what really matters: the policy of the Labour Party at the given time. Furthermore, Mr Thompson needs to wake up to the fact that the only alternative to the Labour Government is a Tory government, just as the only alternative to a Labour county council this coming spring will be a county council controlled by the Tories' 'independent' front organisations. Mr Thompson needs to be working his fingers to the bone to ensure the re-election of our Labour MP, and the selection and election of the best new generation of Labour MPs and councillors. Otherwise, he is effectively working for the Tories.

David Lindsay

Lanchester

Home visits

Re 'Couple take eye care on the road' (Advertiser, November 13), which told of opticians with a difference, offering to test clients' eyes in their own homes.

I would like to point out that R Young Opticians Ltd have carried out home visits on a regular basis since 1989. Alex Findlay in Consett, Eyesite Stanley and Eyesite Consett have carried out home visits since 1998. One in Lanchester and another in Stanley also carry out home visits. This makes six out of nine optical practices based in Derwentside before Opticians at Home opened which offer home visits.

Alan Young

R Young Opticians Ltd, Stanley

Missing heroes

The Memorial to Stanley's War Dead is located in the cemetery of St Andrew's Church (Parish of Stanley).

I, with other residents, who attended the memorial service on Sunday, November 14, were dismayed, if not shocked, by what we observed. The memorial pays tribute to those who gave their lives in the 1914-18 War, but no recognition to those who died in the 1939-45 War let alone following conflicts.

Do the people of Stanley or the local council believe it is not worth the money to have the memorial inscribed? Those who gave their lives gave something far above money.

Next year is the 60th anniversary of the end of the 1939-45 war. Can we have the memorial inscribed for this event eg 'We will remember them' 1939-45 or do we just forget it happened?

R Peart, Stanley.