• I RELUCTANTLY find myself betraying long-held principles – not to over-personalise criticism and always to use my vote.

On the first: Sir Keir Starmer has always brought to mind Dorothy Parker’s quip when informed of US president Calvin Coolidge’s death. She retorted: “How could they tell?”

With regards to the second: whenever the next general election is, my voting intention will sadly not be consistent with my principles. For if Jeremy Corbyn does not stand I will not cast a vote.

If however he does I will not consider voting for a candidate other than he. By that time I would hope that sense and reinstatement will have prevailed.

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