At last an opponent of Jeremy Corbyn’s re-election offers some sense. Ayesha Hazarika (Opinion, 28 September) shows the only way forward for the Labour party. It must combine, if it can’t unite, behind its democratically elected leader and use the next four years to show how it can be a party of government. Debate issues, yes – fiercely if need be; but afterwards the policy must be the same for everyone. Labour has enough to do overcoming the inbuilt prejudice of the media without making further problems for itself.
John Pelling
Coddenham, Suffolk
• The MPs who voted no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn, and then voted for his challenger in the leadership election, set a massive example of deselection politics at the highest level of the party. They cannot now protest if other party members stand against them for selection in their own constituency parties.
James Marc Leas
South Burlington, Vermont, USA
• Corbyn appeals to people, particularly those who have joined the party to vote for him, because they have no idea of politics in this country and treat it with the enthusiasm of children with a new toy. All they have to do is install a leader with “real socialist policies” and the minor matter of persuading the electorate to vote for them can be left to those who actually do know whether they are coming or going. In 1983, Michael Foot approached the electorate with “a real socialist manifesto” and Labour suffered the biggest defeat in its history.
Colin Kendell
Harrow, Middlesex
• Tom Watson believes that the prime minister could call an election at any time (Report, 28 September) and Peter Mandelson is praying for the same thing (‘Bring on early election’, 28 September). Ain’t possible. Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, early elections can now only be held if a motion for an early election is agreed by at least two-thirds of MPs, or if a motion of no confidence is passed and no alternative government is confirmed by the Commons within 14 days.
Chris Birch
London
• Polly Toynbee accuses Jeremy Corbyn of a lack of magnanimity in victory (Opinion, 27 September); the words mote and beam come to mind.
Dr Sarah Poynting
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
