Letters to the Editor – week ending 21 June 2026

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

Wise Council 

Thank you for your piece about Labour councils.  A weekly feature is such a good idea. 

Yes supporting residents at local level in so many ways is so important and was such a struggle to continue to keep services going in the face of Tory drastic cuts to local councils.  Liverpool cut 50%, but is now thankfully receiving more government support. It is so sad that good Labour councillors have gone in the latest local elections. So much experience and knowledge lost. Sad that resident’s attention turned to the Government, which cannot work miracles I’m afraid, so that local effective services somehow lost people’s attention.

I say thank you to the residents of Makerfield – on the outer edge of the Manchester region.  

It was those people who have given all of us such a boost and such hope this week.

Veronica Ward
Ex Labour Cllr 2002 – 2014 London Borough (now resident in Liverpool)

What’s Next?

Dear LabourList,

I am very thrilled that Andy Burnham has returned to Parliament.

I want to be thrilled if he becomes Prime Minister….BUT I am cautious -Will Andy Burnham change the voting system please?

First-past-the-post is unfair, not democratic, disenfranchises most voters and is totally outdated. For most people there is no point in voting…

Without PR the Labour Party is unlikely to survive – just look at Wales…

I want to support Andy Burnham but please can you assure me that he will change the voting system to a form of PR? All the evidence suggests this is the last chance for the Labour Party – and for fair voting in the UK

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE be brave and reform our dreadful voting system..

Yours, with hope,

R.E. Richardson.

*****

The Labour party is historically full of talented people. Talented boys from working class backgrounds excelled in education through council run schools, while mediocre children from the ruling class join expensive private schools at £6000 per month,  and become highly educated with extra lessons in art, drama and classical Languages in many cases.

No wonder Tories often have one leader and change leaders frequently while voters reject them rapidly for lack of talent.

In the case of Labour, in contrast, there are often two leaders acting in cooperation for the benefit of the working people. I give you two such examples, as follows:

• A: In 1889, a mine worker harbouring socialist ideology, revolted against unfair deals to working people in docks and ships. They were paid 2 to 4 pence per hour despite long hours and hard work. Ben Tillett organised a strike to raise the pay to 8 pence per hour. He was the founder of Dock Workers Union which eventually flourished into the massive TGWU union. Mr. Tillett eventually became an elected Labour MP!
  B: Keir Hardy was working in dark, cold mines in Lanark and Ayrshire before moving to Bradford where he established the Independent Labour party. Hardy also became a Socialist MP

These two top leaders worked in cooperation as Socialist MPs for the benefit of working people.

In more recent times, Hon Blair and Hon Brown both acted as Labour PM for the benefit of working people. They were elected to the same Parliament. Details of these more recent events are known to you, so I need not elaborate and appear boring!

Good luck to the Party.

Basudeb Ghose

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