Letter: The Labour Party's lack of vision

Sir: John Smith has taken a chapter out of the Government's book on getting the Maastricht treaty through Parliament and has used it to push Omov through the Labour Party Conference.

By not facing the issue directly, he has achieved his aim. But the benefit to the Labour Party of a slightly more democratic membership structure is surely outweighed by the damage to its own credibility of adopting subterfuge in this vital vote.

Yours faithfully,

LAURENCE MANN

Twickenham, Middlesex