Reassuring that there are sensible people in the Cabinet who understand that ending majority Labour governments, breaking up the party, reducing or ending the constituency link, relying on cranks, secessionists, and ideologically promiscuous minor parties to be the tail that wags the dog after most elections is not in the interests of the Labour Party, the country, or democratic politics. – at Kingston Bagpuize, England

In the 1970s, Tony Crosland worried that the Labour Party was being overtaken by a pro-European 'intellectual elite'. They sought 'the esteem of the liberal audience of columnists and TV commentators, college graduates also, with essentially middle-class values', who 'seldom ventured out of the introverted world of central London into the rougher provincial world where most Labour voters live'. Crosland thought middle-class liberals were too 'priggish and paternalistic'. Instead, Crosland argued that Labour needed 'a populist streak in our thinking'.

I was quite shocked. Kinnock effectively says he doesn't care about majority Labour governments. He is under the delusion there is an anti-Tory, 'progressive' majority out there. With whom? The Greens, who have hardly showered themselves in glory this past week? The Lib Dems, whose current leader was a Cabinet minister in a Conservative led-government?? The naivite is staggering. The most successful left-wing coalition out there *is* the Labour Party. He also propagates the myth that Labour is an unsuccesful political party. It's not. Labour has won 9 majorities since 1945; the Tories have won 10.

I hope the PR advocates in Labour realise that the consequence of electoral reform will be to end future Labour majority governments and to make the Liberal Democrats the kingmakers at most elections. As David Blunkett said, the Lib Dems behave 'like every harlot in history'. – at Faringdon, England