THE Labour Party seems to think that, because the Government is taking tough measures which may not succeed, the next election is on a plate.

In the post-war years, the Labour Party has heard the aspirations of its grass roots but faltered when putting them into practice in a way that wins the hearts and minds of the majority.

For instance, Labour was never capable of working out why nationalisation did not work. In doing so it turned people off who might have valued a sense of common ownership, a shared identification with what is produced, and what is achieved through our industry.

It wanted to win elections but made the mistake of second guessing what the electorate wanted.

The party has to prove that it has learnt from the past mistakes. I will listen carefully to the Labour conference.

Leadership is vital because a good leader articulates the collective vision of a movement but, to me, whether they chose the right Miliband in their leadership election is a side issue.

I don’t sense that they have yet addressed why they lost the 2010 General Election so badly.

G Bulmer, Billingham.