‘Decimation’

Sir, – Reporters and political opponents make frequent reference to the probable “decimation” of the Labour Party in the forthcoming election. More appropriate terms would be “meltdown” or “near-extinction”.

Decimation was a particularly unpleasant punishment for underperforming Roman armies whereby every tenth soldier was summarily executed. If I were a Labour TD facing “decimation”, I would be quietly confident as I would have a 90 per cent chance of being re-elected. – Yours, etc,

CHARLES DALY,

Dungarvan,

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Co Waterford.