Owen Smith was sacked (Report, 24 March) from the shadow cabinet not because he disagreed with Jeremy Corbyn, but because he publicly flouted the discipline of cabinet consensus. If he were honorable, he would have resigned in order to express his beliefs publicly. Instead he forced Corbyn to sack him, in order to play the martyr.
This is one of the first of such shenanigans. From now until the local elections in May, we can look forward to a wearisome series of resignations, provocations leading to sackings, and other assorted manufactured controversies within the Labour party. Antisemitism, bullying, sexism, being “soft” on Russia, as well as alternative views on Brexit – all grist to the mill when it comes to confecting issues to undermine the party going into the elections. All this on top of the relentless media denigration of anything Corbyn tries to do.
All those people throughout the country who are suffering as a result of the policies of this lamentable and vindictive government are being let down by the plotters on the right of the Labour party, who would rather see the party lose seats than work for success under Corbyn. And if the membership, tired of their antics, attempts to remove them from their lucrative jobs representing them, the media will immediately trumpet: “Takeover by hard left”. No! We just want policies that will benefit the majority of the populace, instead of benefiting those who have got rich at the expense of the rest of us.
Hazel Davies
Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside
• Jeremy Corbyn’s arbitrary decision to sack Owen Smith from the shadow cabinet is deeply shocking and comes badly from a leader who has always claimed that party policy should be determined by the views of the rank and file. In the recent ICM poll, published in the Guardian, 77% of Labour voters called for a referendum on the exit terms, and 68% said they would vote to remain. Let the party conference decide. Last year Corbyn prevented any debate at all on Brexit. This year I would urge constituency Labour parties to bombard the conference with resolutions demanding a referendum and insist that they be voted on.
Dick Leonard
Party member since 1945 and former MP
• The last time the Labour party conference discussed Brexit, in the autumn of 2016, it backed a motion stating that it “believes that unless the final settlement proves to be acceptable then the option of retaining EU membership should be retained … The final settlement should therefore be subject to approval, through parliament and potentially through a general election or a referendum.” Good to see that Momentum’s drive to make the party more democratic is proving so successful.
Michael Woodgate
Bristol
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