Left's soft ride for Foot leaves three questions on his record unanswered

As leader of the opposition, he gave his full support to the Thatcher government's invasion of the Falklands.

In the 1981 contest for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party, after a lifetime of campaigning against nuclear weapons, Foot preferred and all but encouraged his supporters to vote for Denis Healey, a right-wing, pro-Nato advocate of nuclear weapons.

Far from the 1983 progressive election manifesto being the main reason for Labour's defeat, it was these two acts of betrayal that were responsible.

If Tony Benn had been elected deputy leader and Foot had opposed the Falklands war, it is quite possible Thatcher would have been unable to get up the head of steam which enabled her to win the war and be re-elected in its wake in the most jingoistic election campaign since 1945.

And I, like many others, will never forget nor forgive Foot's reprehensible treatment of the Bermondsey Labour candidate Peter Tatchell who came under a barrage of media attacks due to his progressive politics and sexuality.

Foot stood up in Parliament and denounced him, joining the reactionary hounds who were then in the process of tearing Tatchell to bits.

As to his legacy, it was Michael Foot who advanced the careers of Neil Kinnock, and Tony Blair. The former was the worst Labour leader ever. As for Blair, may he rot in hell.

Mick Hall Grays, Essex