Labour to blame for ‘Bradford Spring’

STAGGERING Labour complacency rather than a “Bradford Spring” seems to have gifted a mid-term by-election to George Galloway and his Respect party. But whether it heralds a new beginning for the ranks of the disaffected throughout Britain is less certain (Alf Young, Perspective, 31 March).

Remember, nearly 50 per cent of those eligible didn’t vote at all in Bradford West. It is questionable whether large swathes of voters would turn to an uncompromisingly pro-Arab, old-Labour approach taken by Mr Galloway and his acolytes. Yes, there are many people who need to be engaged somehow in the political process, but it will need more than a largely personality-based campaign to achieve it.

Labour leader Ed Miliband made a number of tactical errors. He was so determined to score points over Chancellor George Osborne and the Budget that he forgot about keeping a profile in the by-election campaign.

There was little he could do about those Muslim voters who reject the bi-partisan approach over the war in Afghanistan. It might have been proper for him to adopt a note of repentance over the Iraq war. He certainly could have instructed his local officials to tackle the question of youth unemployment, donations to political parties, even the impending fuel shortage crisis, more vigorously. He could have helped to make sure the Labour candidate in the vote was a household name.

In the end though Mr Miliband was a victim of the very shortcomings he had warned his party about. He failed to reconnect with those who have deserted Labour in the past decade, and stayed resolutely a member of the Westminster establishment.

Bob Taylor

Shiel Court

Glenrothes, Fife