AS an economically social democratic, morally and socially conservative British and Commonwealth patriot, I long ago parted company with the Labour Party. Under Tony Blair, it left people like me at least as much as it left those who were still on the hard left.

But since I am not seeking to retain the parish council seat to which I was most recently reelected as an Independent, I had been very seriously considering rejoining the Labour Party on the day after the local elections.

Then, however, came the abstention of most Labour MPs, including the entire front bench, from the vote on the coalition’s retrospective legislation relating to unlawful forced labour for private companies.

Nor is the party saying much about the effective privatisation of the National Health Service this Monday, which appropriately, is April 1.

There are MPs and probable candidates against whom, for purely political reasons, I should be disinclined to stand. There are a few against whom I certainly would not stand. There are a very few whom I should actively campaign to re-elect.

But I am offering to stand for Parliament wherever, if anywhere, people ask me to.

Have you never heard of me?

That is because I am an ordinary person.

I urge as many other ordinary people as possible to do the same if they are broadly or strongly where I am politically.

This country has never had any shortage of Marxist parties.

That is not the present gap in representation. It never has been. At the very least, the nowinevitable Labour government of 2015 is clearly going to need plenty of friendly critics and critical friends.

David Lindsay, Lanchester.