Letter: Clause for concern

Sir: Giles Radice (29 September) calls upon the Labour Party finally to get rid of Clause IV.

While that may yet prove contentious (albeit less so than in Hugh Gaitskell's day), the least they could do is not to flaunt the quaint old thing. When I renewed my lapsed membership of the Labour Party in June, I was sent a provisional membership certificate whose sole text (apart from typing on my name and my local constituency secretary) consisted of Clause IV in all its glory: 'common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange', etc.

Needless to say, if I believed in that I would have joined the Socialist Workers Party. Small wonder that Mr Radice's south-eastern C1s and C2s remain mistrustful of Labour, while it sends out such conflicting signals.

Yours etc,

AIDAN FOSTER-CARTER

Leeds

29 September