Letter: Evidence that Labour can never win power

Sir: I fear that Peter Mandelson's article ('The rivals who can no longer be ignored', 3 August) on

the threat to Labour from the Liberal Democrats rather misses the point. His argument that voters will flock to Labour because Labour alone can implement its policies runs directly counter to the experience of the last election. The real prospect of a Labour government led to a surge in Conservative support at Labour's - and the Liberal Democrats' - expense.

The simple truth is that the British people do not trust Labour to govern. Labour's modest opinion poll lead compared to the last Parliament surely confirms that. The polls - both actual and opinion - also show that Liberal Democrats are here to stay and are the preferred party of opposition, as well as of government, across huge swathes of Britain. The sooner Labour faces up to reality, modernises itself and embraces pluralist politics, the sooner we will get rid of this dismal government. The politics of posture will not get the opposition anywhere.

Yours faithfully,

JOHN DICKIE

London, NW3