Letter: Blackpool follies

Sir: David Aaronovitch's attacks on Liz Davies and Labour Left Briefing are becoming increasingly fantastic (Comment, 29 September).

First, he repeatedly quotes out of context in order to distort the meaning of articles in Briefing. For example, he tells readers that a piece in the current issue refers to the "armed struggle" in Ireland. The complete sentence reads as follows: "The armed struggle is over and people no longer want a return to the cycle of violence of the Troubles."

Second, he claims members of Briefing's editorial board wrote to The Independent without declaring themselves as such. In fact, in a letter published on 21 August Tony Dale declared himself a member of the editorial board and went on to point out that he had denounced the IRA's Manchester bombing in unequivocal terms in an article in Briefing - one of the many facts Aaronovitch conveniently overlooks in his determination to smear us with broad-brush allegations about "terrorism."

Finally, Aaronovitch claims he does not care about Labour's NEC election. Then why has he devoted two lengthy columns to it?

MIKE MARQUSEE

Political Correspondent

Labour Left Briefing

London E5