IF the Labour phoenix is to arise from the ashes of its disastrous election debacle, it must find a political narrative which will sound credible to the voters it once called its own but who deserted in droves on December 12.

Instead of ideologues, it needs those like Jess Phillips and Wes Streeting at the top, people whose principles are based on reality rather than bathed in the dreams of a socialist utopia.

To reach that situation, there has to be a reform, root and branch, of the awful party electoral system imposed upon the Labour Party by Ed Miliband, who did not think through what the consequences of his flawed reformation could be.

It gave us Jeremy Corbyn, who just could not capture the imagination of the wider electorate, and John McDonnell, who gave off the vibes of humanity but offered a ludicrous manifesto likely to plunge us into a Venezuelan inflationary spiral.

Unless the Labour Party is to become no more than a postscript as an interesting experiment and interlude in the history of British politics, it has to rediscover its purpose as a political party and a sense of pragmatism to go with it.

The trade unions need to become listening posts so that the wishes and needs of its members can be translated into policies which are really and truly meaningful rather than just pie in the sky ideals.

All of that has to be relayed to the party which has fallen out of touch with those it hopes to represent.

This is now going to be serious time of retrenchment and an opportunity for realistic reflection to recover its now lost widespread support amongst the general public.

Ahead of the Labour Party are five long years it must use sensibly to restore its mojo and to reconnect with those it must persuade to vote for its time in office.

Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs.

NOW the results of Labour’s lurch to the far left are staring us all in the face – Boris Johnson safely ensconced in Number 10 and nationalism rife in Scotland – could we ask that Labour return to the centre ground? Please give those of us who once looked to the party for hope and a pro-UK defence against nationalism a break – merely changing a hopeless leader and his retinue and retaining the same politics will be the coup de grace for the centre left and the end of Labour as party of government.

Dismissing this result as a Brexit side-effect would be suicidal.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh EH6.

PERHAPS Scottish Labour needs a little help from history. Until 1974 its policy was that of bitter opposition to any Scottish legislature. Then that policy was changed with trade union pressure. But many senior figures in the party like Robin Cook still campaigned against any devolution. After a few years of Margaret Thatcher, most changed their minds and many became genuine converts who made a valuable contribution to achieving a Scottish Parliament.

Now with the prospect of five years of a hard-right Tory government, surely it is time for Labour in Scotland to face the reality that many of its remaining voters and, of course, a majority of younger, progressive Scots are now independence supporters and Labour is out of touch. If it did move to supporting independence as it moved in 1974, then it could also make a valuable contribution to shaping a future independent Scotland. Unless it does, it will languish on the sidelines of history.

Isobel Lindsay, Biggar.