I am loath to intrude on the private grief of my council colleague Francis Lankester, who laments (Letters, May 14) the proposal by the "Tory grandees" to exclude the party's grassroots members from their forthcoming leadership election.

Perhaps he will have some sympathy for those of us who, in the words of Glenda Jackson MP, were disappointed that the recent general election did not put paid to "that shambolic, extremist, reactionary political entity called the Conservative Party" once and for all.

Surely, the reason for the grassroots exclusion is obvious.

Ordinary Conservatives, who, according to Francis Lankester, can only be trusted to stuff and deliver envelopes, simply could not be relied upon to choose somebody who might be electable in the country.

Many grassroots Conservatives still seem to be hankering after the leadership of Margaret Thatcher.

To this day, 15 years after she was deposed by the then Tory grandees, they haven't understood the damage her administration did to the social fabric of our nation, not least in social housing - a subject familiar to Coun Lankester.

Indeed, from my observation as a member of the council, Francis knows as much as anybody in Worcester about the problem of homelessness and the shortage of low-cost housing in the city.

One solution Coun Lankester might consider: how about a change of party? Then he'd get a vote for the next party leader!

David Candler

Labour city councillor,

St John ward, Worcester.