I WOULD like to comment on the idea that a left-wing Labour leader cannot win a general election. What is the evidence?

Labour has just had two right of centre leaders who have both lost by the largest margins in the history of the Labour Party.

The Conservatives only got 25% of the eligible votes (37% of the votes cast), but still have a Commons majority.

Some 35% of those eligible chose not to vote, half of those due to all three big parties being too similar.

Labour lost five million votes during the Tony Blair years due to the Iraq war and not repealing anything Margaret Thatcher brought in leaving the Conservatives able to go still further under the current prime minister David Cameron.

The Lib Dems held a position to the left of New Labour and became very strong.

They turned right and partnered with the Tories in 2010 and in 2015 almost vanished.

In Scotland New Labour were dubbed ‘Red Tories’ and in 2015 were almost wiped out by the Socialist Scottish Nationalists.

The fastest growing parties in the United Kingdom are Greens (socialist), Scottish Nationalists (socialist) and UKIP (far right).

There are no gains for centre parties. The centre ground is dead and discredited with scandals. The Greens polled over a million votes in 2015.

It is little wonder that traditional Labour voters and party members are behind the two left wingers in the race for Labour leader.

They have the heart of most of the 35% of non voters with them.

It is the Labour MPs who are out of step and the Tory press ready to demonise anyone willing to stand up against the establishment, be they UKIP or socialist.

It is the job of parties to convince voters their principles are the right ones, not just say anything to be elected.

R P Lambeth, Martin Road, Hove