Letters to the Editor – week ending 29 March 2026

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

It’s good to be friends

Thanks very much Emma,

I find podcasts interesting and honestly feel this is a space that top Labour politicians don’t do enough. It would be great to see one of them on Adam Buxton’s podcast or Richard Herring’s podcast. Ed Milliband and Jess Phillips have both done Richard Herring’s podcast and were both very good.

Interesting to see how the “Friends” initiative goe – it’s good to see the Kinnock call. I’m a CLP Secretary and I’m always trying to get my members to subscribe to the emails and consult the site as by doing so people become part of the Labour eco-system and community.

Malcolm Smith

[Editor’s note: Malcolm is responding to the ‘Just Between Friends’ email that goes out exclusively to Friends of LabourList. The Kinnock event Malcolm refers to will be livestreamed only for Friends of LabourList and Fabian Society members. If you want to join in with this become a friend of LabourList.]

Tax Wealth Get Growth

I very much agree with this recent article ‘Tax Wealth. Get Growth‘ by Jeevun Sandher MP. But there is one thing implied in the article but never stated and that is that central government tax never, ever funds spending.

Not only is this laid down in a still current statute from 1866: any other system would defy logic – if the government is to be paid tax it will require it in £Sterling and not in sea shells or Ferrero Rocher.

Nobody can pay in £Sterling unless the government has first created £Sterling.

No money creation – no tax.

This indicates that government spending is altogether less constrained than we are commonly told. Realisation of this fact destroys the austerity myth and opens up the possibility of a properly caring government capable of partnering each one of us in our lives.

Sincerely

Peter May
Exeter

Full Coverage

I was surprised that you reported on a new inquiry into the Battle of Orgreave when we are not delivering on some of our basic Manifesto Promises. I say this because many of these had real public resonance and would cost little or nothing to enact IF the political will was there.

Here are two suggestions:

Lobbying and all of the schmoozing that goes along with it, needs to be cleaned up; nothing has been done.

The Criminal Finances Act of 2017, and everything that followed from that legislation, in relation to our shady Crown Colonies and their facilitation of tax evasion, should be enforced.

These – simple – steps would stand in stark contrast to the actions of Reform who seem focused on facilitating shading dealing for their mates. Labour must be seen to be acting – at all times – in the interests of the majority, not the few. 

Yours in despair,

Cllr Ramsay Ross
Rutland CC

[Editors Note: We will always report on a range of topics. The Orgreave Inquiry is important, something Labour promised and is delivering and matters to our readers. LabourList will continue to report on areas where Labour could do more but we will also always make sure we report on the things Labour is doing and doing well. If we don’t, no one else will.]

Working Families?

Hi LL 

The PM recently referred to favouring “Working Families”.  I wonder what percentage of voters are not in such families.  Using the phrase surely risks alienating single people, childless couples and the retired, and more. – Discuss?

John Bingley

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