Correspondence

We welcome feedback, especially (thoughtful) vitriolic replies and sycophantic praise. However -- due to demand -- letters over 300 words will not be considered and those via email (or PC disk) are particularly welcome. To send a letter please use the write to LLB page.

Alexandra Schulte and William West were wrong about the far-right vote in Germany (Germany -- "Happy, but with no illusions", LLB, November). While openly fascist parties "only" got 1.6 million votes (3.3%), other far-right groups brought the total up to 2.2 million (4.4%) - more than double the 1994 vote. The fascist right are talking about uniting. Fascism poses a serious threat across Germany, not just the east.

I had to laugh at the idea that the PDS should "soon be making significant gains in the west"! Opinion polls suggest the opposite.

When the PDS has gone into coalitions, they have lost credibility as the "consistent opposition" they claim to be after helping make cuts. This has helped the rise in support for the far right.

In the election PDS leaders were falling over each other to prove how "respectable" they are, claiming loyalty to the capitalist order, announcing a Clause IV-style re-writing of the party's constitution and even giving convicted fascist terrorists space in their paper.

They are sidelining their anarchist and communist youth section by cutting off funds and setting up a new one. The only organised opposition to the leadership are the tiny and heavily Stalinist "Communist Platform", largely made up of pensioners who have failed to realise that their politics have been well and truly discredited.

The PDS will provide some opposition to Schroder, but little, finding it nearly impossible to square the circle of crying "betrayal" while voting through the SPD's dirty work at regional level. The PDS play left and right as it suits them.

Matthew Heaney, Dagenham

It is part of Australian history that Captain Cook passed this way over 200 years ago. The area he named Trinity Inlet is richer than a rain forest in biological diversity and a breeding ground for myriad life forms. Now it appears that distant children of our ancestors (namely shareholders associated with the uncaring and grasping octopus that is National Westminster Bank) want to place a dark and alien shadow on this area in attempts to recover their failed business speculation. This would destroy a large area of Trinity Inlet.

We ask that you take our plea of preservation to your financial masters. I extend an invitation to all of you in the UK, especially those with invested interests here, to come and visit our reef and rainforest - you will be most welcome; and to press NatWest to cut their losses and go home.

Brian K Williams, Queensland, Australia

As a life-long Labour voter I write in dismay. How could New Labour do what they've done to Ken? I might not agree with everything he says, but at least he is true to his politics. How could New Labour go down the same road as Thatcher in refusing to listen to the people?

I and many of my Labour friends will not vote for a New Labour puppet. If they continue with this mad policy I will not vote for them again. What's wrong in someone who might not keep the party line - after all we would not have had a labour movement without rebels.

What are New Labour scared of?

Linda Leonard, Leyton

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