Clive Betts’s timely proposal that the parliamentary Labour party should resume its traditional role of electing the shadow cabinet on a yearly basis when the party is in opposition (Report, 1 September) is to be welcomed. Yet I would question your assertion that it would need to be endorsed by the NEC and party conference.
The PLP has had the right to elect the shadow cabinet ever since 1923 and exercised it under 10 successive leaders from Ramsay MacDonald to Tony Blair. (It did not happen under Gordon Brown, who – uniquely among modern Labour leaders – was never leader of the opposition.) In 2011, at the request of Ed Miliband, it was suspended by a majority vote of 196 to 41 of the PLP, with 20 abstentions. This decision was indeed reported to the NEC and party conference, which both endorsed it, but this did not mean that the PLP was giving up its right on a permanent basis. What MPs can decide on a majority vote, they may rescind in the same way. No doubt they would report their decision, as a matter of courtesy, but surely they do not need to seek permission to assert one of their oldest prerogatives?
Dick Leonard
Former Labour MP for Romford, London
• It’s a bit rich of Labour to squeal about the Tory boundary change plans (Letters, 30 August) when they had 13 years in power to 2010 when they could have introduced a proportional representation system that would have brought more accurate reflection of party support, better minority representation, fewer wasted votes, higher voter turnout, better representation of women and little opportunity for gerrymandering. Labour preferred to stick with the blatantly unfair first past the post system then because at the time it suited them. Now, unfortunately, the boot is on the other foot and Labour supporters are going to pay the price of that inaction for many years to come.
Norman Miller
Brighton
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
