SIR - I am naturally disappointed that enough voters in Ronkswood, Worcester, chose to believe the claims in the New Labour leaflets, and vote against Keith Burton, the Independent candidate.

However, I also have to recognise that the loss of this seat takes Adrian Gregson, the leader of the New Labour group, into new and lonely territory.

No longer will he be able to hide by blaming the Independents for his own failures as leader, when he quite successfully continued in the footsteps of the previous leader in taking the New Labour group into a political decline. Who are you going to blame now, Adrian?

Brian Hunt, Worcester.