A simple step for Labour membership

Labour Party membership, the subject of your recent Cover Story (MW January 14) could be increased at a stroke without confronting “the increasing complexity and fragmentation of mass society with an array of precision marketing tools”.

How is this to be done? By taking the simple, democratic step of enfranchising that part of the UK which New Labour has so far not refreshed: Northern Ireland.

How is it that this is the only part of the planet where residents are not permitted to be members of the Labour Party?

Now that is one for the image consultants.

Michael Smythe

Merton Park

London

SW19