BLACKBURN Labour Party's agent says (Letters, May 29) Jack Straw is liked and respected as a constituency MP. That may be the case within the Labour quarter.

Yet this did not shine through in the last election when his vote more or less remained static.

That in itself says something when Labour enjoyed a massive swing across the country.

The councillor would no doubt not make such crass utterances if he got out on the street and talked to the people. He may just get a shock.

The Labour Party is in no position to slag anybody for how they choose candidates.

What about the London Mayor fiasco and the Welsh Assembly mess?

As for Mr Straw being a highly respected Cabinet minister depends where you are coming from.

For he is fast becoming known as a ditherer who has lost the plot.

One thing Councillor Taylor and his party can be congratulated on is Jack's selection for the next election -- they had no other option. Mr Blair would not allow them to choose otherwise.

WALT MEADOWS, Whalley New Road, Blackburn.