JAMES Slack's capricious attempt to turn Worcester Labour Party's Parliamentary re-selection procedure into a political thriller (Evening News, Saturday, July 5) should not be taken seriously.

It's tabloid froth woefully short of understanding and investigative rigour.

The entry on the Worcester LP website message board, on which I argued for competitive reselection for our MP, was posted months ago.

Slack's 'alarm bell' was clearly malfunctioning. That it was set off by my latest 'rant' instead means that it probably still needs fixing.

No political thriller is complete without a conspiracy. Thus, Slack conjures up a 'Worcester 'old' Labour guard', invoking an assassination plot and a 'knife in the back' for Mike Foster.

It was a relief that no mention was made of smoke-filled rooms with 40 watt bulbs dangling bare from their leads from stained ceilings over old wooden circular tables.

In real life, the facts are far less interesting.

For the record, Worcester LP is a 'New' Labour stronghold and will support Foster.

His relationship with the affiliated unions may come under strain in view of his record on certain issues troubling them.

My role was to attend my party meeting and make my views known and to argue the political case against 'New' Labour and in favour of a reselection.

I don't plot and scheme or 'knife (anyone) in the back'. My approach is up front and to accept the consequences, as a Labour Party member, of speaking out against 'New' Labour and in favour of socialist values in the modern world.

I cannot offer James Slack any grist to his mill. There is no 'knife', no organised 'old' Labour 'guard', no plots. Just boring, old-fashioned argument, I'm afraid. Sorry.

PETER NIELSEN,

Worcester.