THE Labour Party did very badly in the recent European elections.

This leads some people to take for granted that it will inevitably lose the General Election when it comes, but this is not a conclusion that can be automatically assumed.

The turnout in the Euro elections was low, there was a wide choice of candidates and those voting knew that they were not deciding the composition of the next Parliament and who would have the support of the majority of members there.

The conclusions suggested by the bulk of the media are not based on a like-for-like comparison.

I think the present Labour Government still has everything to play for, and if it had given up it would have justifiably been accused of scuttling.

We shall see now whether Gordon Brown has been chastened by the lack of support for his party. Much will depend on the way the economic crisis is handled, and there is evidence that the Government is actually listening to what people are saying.

Geoffrey Bulmer, Billingham.