I read in the national press over Christmas that the Labour party is losing one member every 20 minutes. In the same paper is says that one immigrant enters Britain every minute. The solution, therefore, seems simple: insist that immigrants join the Labour party before they can enter the country. Problem solved!

The Labour party hands out peerages in return for cash donations, so would this be any different?

It would, of course, be better if the Labour party actually did something useful that the public supported. Then it might not face an exodus of support.

But when this so-called Socialist party rewards 80-year-olds with a 25p a week increase in their pensions, while at the same time presiding over a system that allows city fat cats to collect six-figure annual bonuses, is it any wonder that traditional supporters are turning their backs on them?

Vince Penn, Four Lanes, Redruth