Sir, Jacob Solon (‘Why have the Tories lost 2.7 million members?,’ Feb 10) is right: politics without fellowship becomes parched. If membership amounts to little more than a standing order and a monthly email, decline is inevitable.

But sociability alone will not reverse a seventy-year decline. Nor is this uniquely a Conservative problem. Trade union membership has halved since the late 1970s, and church attendance has fallen steadily for decades. The erosion is cultural as much as political.

We should also think twice before turning party membership into a lifestyle badge. Politics should improve a life, not consume it. Nor can we ignore that ‘Young Conservative’ has long been a cultural punchline. That perception will not be fixed by better catering. It requires serious purpose and confident direction.

People do not leave for want of barbecues. They leave when they feel unheard. Fellowship may sustain a movement; only a compelling case can grow one.

Alex de Silva

London

Sir, in response to Adelaide Di Maggio’s article ‘Assisted suicide is wrong—we should re- familiarize with death’ (Nov 12), I agree that death is a shared destiny, and we should all confront the inevitable. However, this does not imply that we should conform to a centuries-old standard of being constantly aware of our mortality. Ms Di Maggio suggests our unfamiliarity with death is distorting our relationship with it, leading to strong emotions once faced with actual death. But grieving is also a fundamental aspect of life.

On the other hand, discouraging the decision-making of how and when one dies, in relation to assisted deaths, adds levels of shame to people who are facing enough difficulties as is. We should not condemn someone for seeking the comfort of choice. Our society would benefit from a looser definition of a ‘good and dignified death’ instead.

Leilany Ibarra

El Paso