To join the fray, the third biggest party will probably succumb to media pressure and ditch a leader of greater integrity. The other parties that currently offer real options - the Greens and the several socialist parties - remain on the margins, disunited and largely ignored. These are bad developments for democracy and our future.
Quentin Deakin
Bingley, West Yorkshire
If David Cameron is still Conservative leader at the next election, I shall vote for him because of his enlightened views on immigration. Refugees aren't plastic widgets, importing as many as we want and refusing the rest. They are human beings, and when they are fleeing persecution, more privileged countries must take them in.
Penelope Maclachlan
London W7
David Cameron is now in a position, whatever his personal views, where he should consider reappraising his public stance on foxhunting. It is not just in 'urban Britain' that 'the majority of people are overwhelmingly in favour of outlawing the blood sport'. Strong opposition to hunting reaches into the heart of the countryside, too. The 'frustrated fox-hunters' in Mr Cameron's constituency to whom he referred are not representative of the general population. Indeed, they would not even appear to be representative of opinion in Witney.
Five years ago, the League Against Cruel Sports carried out a poll in the constituency. The telephone survey of 500 people showed 53.8 per cent supported a ban on hunting, as opposed to 34.6 per cent who disagreed.
Mr Cameron has made great play of his new brand of 'compassionate conservatism'. We would like to see some of that compassion reserved for the quarry of the hunts and the ordinary people whose lives are still being disrupted by huntsmen and hounds.
Douglas Batchelor
Chief executive, League Against Cruel Sports
London SE1
