Letters to the Editor – week ending 25 January 2026

Read what people have been writing to our editor about this week. Find out how to share your own views here.

Burnham Questions

I have allowed my membership to lapse, disillusioned with both the government (on a wide range of issues) and my 2024 intake local MP, who rarely replies to correspondence.

However, if Andy Burnham becomes leader, I shall locally rejoin.

Yours

Nina Smith

*****

Dear Editor, 

I know Labour is doing awfully in the polls and Starmer seems to be a hate figure for so many. But do Labour members really believe that a new leader would do anything other than give a two or three week new manager bounce? 

We live in such a toxic blame culture that the insatiable quest for a hate figure would soon transfer to the new PM. 

Does anyone really believe Reform voters would be wooed by Wes Streeting or the nation impressed by Andy Burnham making Manchester’s trams run on time?

Yours faithfully 

Trevor Hopper

*****

He needs to wait for a seat in Liverpool where he would be a popular choice with a good chance of winning. 

Alan Murray 

Nothing going on but the rent

Dear Editor

I have been concerned about exorbitant rents for a long time, especially in Oxford where we live. I am particularly worried about the effect these excessive rents have on our local economy, on wage levels and especially on relationships in families. It can be damaging for younger children where both parents have to work to meet the rent and child care costs; Also families whose children stay forever after they grow up because they can’t find anywhere else to live. 

As nowadays renters have so much of their income tied up in rents this leaves them with little disposable income affecting things like the levels of sales leading to closed down High Streets, etc etc.

I am sure there are considerable impacts from the renter economy on the money markets in general. Is there any impact on tax collecting? It certainly increases the divide between haves and have nots within the middle classes.

Most landlords are just getting richer without making much effort until they are forced to do repairs! Of course some have mortgages to pay eventually they will be paid off and the rent will continue to roll in. Unless of course they take out another mortgage to extend their estate.

Each year when the rents are raised some landlords show no concern for their tenants. This is especially true of some large overseas investors. Renters homes are treated just as cash cows when a home is an essential. I don’t think it should ever be used just as an investment but it will take a long time to unpick this situation.

To make the changes needed to undo this problem will be very complicated but maybe rents should be controlled as they have been twice in the last century? There need to be systems developed that allow landlords to maintain their property adequately. I think they will find that if their tenants are treated well they will treat the property better.

Do you have any views about this issue of the level of rents? We must move towards a more equitable situation.

Best wishes

Sarah Lasenby
Oxford

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