Read what people have been writing to our editor about this week. Find out how to share your own views here.
Deputy Leadership Contest – last words from you
I read with interest the round up of Lucy Powells victory.Here are my observations:
The support for Bridget was around blind loyalty and not a considered understanding of efficient and thoughtful governing. Bridget already has two portfolios which in my opinion is one too many.
As a member and elected representative we need to change the political playbook not mirror previous administrations.
No individual should have more than one portfolio there are some very talented individuals on the back benches who can bring life experience to a number of the critical departments.When I challenged other members on the multiple portfolio approach there was a lack of understanding when it comes to government department mechanics.
Secondly the team in number 10 is seen as elitist with McSweeney trying to emulate Campbell. As a marker, Campbell has done more damage to the reputation of government mechanics than most and now sees fit to sit in judgement of others.
We as a party don’t seem to have the common touch anymore, who are the sound boards number 10 is using?
If you have been in parliament over ten years you are part of the establishment no matter what your background is this that’s alienating committed politicians from the rest of the population.
Finally, Lucy Powell has a huge opportunity to mould our party back to a point of caring, considered, fair and operating with high morality.
Thanks
Murrae Blair-Park
Leicestershire
*****
Caerphilly Now
Dear Emma
Luke Akehurst, in his article, makes it clear that he supports tactical voting when it is obvious Labour can’t win.
His words – “The upside to the Caerphilly result is that it showed Reform can be beaten by widespread tactical voting in this kind of seat.”
In 2017, I was thrown out of the Party for advocating tactical voting, to rid us of a Conservative MP in Bath, where every one knew there was not a snowballs chance in hell of the Labour candidate getting elected.
Will we now be hearing that Luke Akehurst is to face the same fate?
Yours sincerely
David Lucas
Bath
*****
Dear friends
I was not a little surprised to read Luke Akehurst’s piece on the north – and the threat posed by Reform. Fancy asking him to comment!
Mr Akehurst is, in my opinion, a perfect example of the way in which the Labour Party has taken its working class voters for granted.
He was apparently imposed on a Durham constituency with hardly a whisper of support and with no prior connection. If the Labour Party persists in using its ‘safe’ seats as political rewards for its apparatchiks, don’t be amazed if the Labour vote collapses.
Phil Lee
Nottingham
Caerphilly
Not a Milifan
Dear LabourList
I was interested to see Ed Miliband coming top in your poll yesterday. I am fairly ambivalent about his recent performance but I will never forgive him for challenging his brother for the leadership in 2010 – and winning.
I have no doubt that David Miliband, as leader, would have defended the Brown government’s performance and attacked George Osborne’s austerity. Because Ed was supported by a faction who thought rescuing the banks was wrong they left the field wide open for the Con-Dem coalition to rubbish Labour’s response to the financial crisis and to blame that for the vicious austerity that was both unnecessary and very destructive of our public services.
Personally I couldn’t believe that Ed’s shadow cabinet let the coalition do this when the rest of the world had shown great respect for the leadership of Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling during the crisis. It was Osborne’s austerity that paved the way for Farage and Brexit.
While it’s foolish to extrapolate consequences too far into the future I am sure that David Miliband making an effective defence of the Brown government would have seriously constrained the coalition’s austerity measures and this, in turn, would have made Farage and Brexit less likely.
I don’t consider myself to be on the right of the party but I was, and am, a big fan of Gordon Brown’s politics.
Kind regards
Roger Chapman
Bath
Shortchanged?
An economist went to the newsagent to buy a paper and found that he had only a £20 note. He paid the newsagent £20 and received £19 change.
What did the newspaper cost? Most of us would say £1, but almost any economist or politician will tell you that the paper cost £20 and was unaffordable.
This is because economists’ models and politicians’ “common sense” do not allow for getting back change.
Perhaps on a good day economists and politicians can be trusted to buy newspapers, but they seem to make exactly this mistake when discussing Government spending.
We have been told that ending the appalling 2-child benefit cap would cost an extra £3.6 billion a year. However, this is assuming that the Government would get none of the £3.6 billion back.The experts are forgetting the change.
Lifting the 2-child cap would cost far less than £3.6 billion and quite possibly would cost nothing at all.
The £3.6 billion would be spent and would circulate in the economy, providing jobs and profits on which tax would be paid. At each cycle some of it would come back to the Government. Provided it continued to circulate, the Government would gradually get back its £3.6 billion, a little at a time.
Whether it would get the whole £3.6 billion, or more, or a bit less, requires careful analysis. My estimate is that it would actually get more, but on any basis, ending the 2-child cap will always cost far less than £3.6 billion.
So, whenever you are told “we can’t afford it”, remember the £20 newspaper.
I think Clive Lewis and Zack Polanski get this, but Rachel Reeves and almost all commentators don’t.
Michael Green
Brighton
Too kind!
Dear Emma
Labour voter here. My partner and I are a bit disappointed how things are going with the Labour Party at the moment but there is still another 4 years till the next election so there is enough time to turn things round.
We heard you on Cross question on LBC this week, you were really good, that Mark Francois is such a Plonker.
Have you ever thought of standing to become an MP you would be great.
Kind Regards
Gordon
Birmingham
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