If the various political mishaps of the Tories in the past week have demonstrated how out-of-touch they are, then George Galloway's spectacular win in Bradford West (Report, 30 March) surely shows how much Labour has lost the connection with its own roots. Galloway has once again demonstrated that British politics does not need to be dominated by a few established parties arguing over an increasingly narrow strip of middle ground.
No doubt this will be lost on the parliamentary Labour party, most of whom appear to believe that taking a radical line on anything is political suicide. But principled opposition to war and austerity in Bradford has exposed how little the professional politicians of Labour have to say to people at the cutting edge of coalition policies.
Millions are angry at a government that is driving through privatisation of health and education, that is blatantly cutting taxes for the richest individuals and companies while imposing austerity on the population – and yes, they are still opposed to war! Yet Labour's suits respond with parliamentary point-scoring and media events, looking just as uncomfortable queueing for a sausage roll in Greggs as Cameron does with a Cornish pasty.
Joe Hartney
London
• There's no need to look beyond the obsolete names of the losing parties for the reason for a new MP in Bradford. Today's Conservatives change everything while conserving nothing; few Labour members have ever laboured at more than growing calluses on their buttocks, and Liberal Democrats are neither liberal nor democratic. Meanwhile, "respect" is a word seen on major European football ground hoardings, without explanation – but heavily televised in recent weeks.
Let's have some new names: Opulent Comfortables; Unemployable Comfortables, and Bandwagon Comfortables – or perhaps we should return to parliamentary candidates having no party labels at the ballot – as with the intended police commissioners.
Ralph Gee
Nottingham
• How refreshing to see the people of Bradford reject anti-union Labour, bullying Tories and cowardly Lib Dems in favour of the anti-war, pro-worker Respect party. So what if George Galloway is a perma-tanned popinjay? His message is that the main parties are wrong on every main issue, and finally a constituency has broken the stranglehold of the big three pro-war and pro-rich parties. Up yer kilt, George!
Bruce Whitehead
South Queensferry, Edinburgh
• Let's not get too excited about the Respect victory in the Bradford West byelection. Whatever one thinks of George Galloway, he is on the left. If you tot up all the leftwing votes (Respect, Labour and Green), as against the right-wing ones (Tory, Lib Dem and Ukip), this is a massive swing against a Little Rich Boy government.
Ken Baldry
London
• Like him or not, George Galloway's Bradford West byelection win shows how someone who speaks honestly and connects with folk can defeat centralist politics. George is certainly no liberal, and if Ed Miliband can get back to promoting Labour's socialist principles he can take on this rightwing coalition government with the backing of so many disillusioned voters.
Peter Stewart
London
• At last, light at the end of the long, dark and twisty tunnel of coalition government. The success of the Respect party shows it is possible to elect clear-message candidates and gives hope that we can reclaim our NHS by voting for doctors at the general election.
Geoff Naylor
Winchester, Hampshire
• Now we've had dinnergate, pastygate and petrolgate, after yesterday's victory in the Bradford byelection can we expect Gallowaygate?
David Prothero
Harpenden, Hertfordshire