Labour pains

It has taken some time but finally a Labour Party big-wig realises that Labour supporters prefer remaining in the EU than continuing with the present shambles.

Tom Watson has noticed that judging by the EU Parliament elections Remainers will abandon the party if it continues in its refusal to read the clear signs that the only way the party can win a General Election is giving hope to Remainers by promising that a future Government will withdraw Article 50 (Scotsman, June 18).

Neither the Liberal Democrats nor the Greens, however attractive, are likely to receive sufficient support to form a future government. They can, nevertheless, bleed off potential Labour supporters as they clearly did in the most recent hard test of voting preference.

A potential government promising to remain in the EU will bring back the committed. That party chairman Ian Lavery should base an election strategy on a voting pattern over two years old shows a remarkable ignorance of politics and political history.

A week is a long time in politics, as a former Labour Prime Minister is reputed to have said – but two years of chaos and a paralysed government and parliament is obviously something we must endorse. Why?

LDM MACKENZIE Achadh Na Sgiath, Duror Argyll

Tom Watson calls for a sec on deu referendum. he makes the assumption that the result would reverse the first referendum.

Question: Will he respect the result of the second referendum if the response is a resounding to Leave, as I believe would be the outcome?

ALASTAIR PAISLEY Baberton Crescent, Edinburgh