PART of the job of a leader of the Opposition is to find the cracks in the administration of the Government.

Ed Miliband has found some and made an attempt to exploit them.

What he has yet to do is to present alternative policies relevant to the position the country is now in. He seems to appreciate the magnitude of the task ahead of him, but I think that he needs more.

Meanwhile, the membership of the party has increased, but has the quality of the membership improved?

The Labour Party as a whole has yet to begin the process of self-examination it needs so badly after losing the General Election. It should get on with it as soon as possible because the next election may well be called much sooner than anyone expects.

G Bulmer, Billingham.