Letters to the Editor – week ending 6th September 2026

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

AI, QE, PR and NPF

The cost of living crisis hasn’t gone away. We have to accelerate the switch away from fossil fuels as the US/ Israeli war vs Iran shows no sign of resolution.

It is imperative for the UK Labour Government to address any regulatory barriers holding up some of the renewable energy measures that are commonplace in other parts of Europe eg plug in solar and hybrid heat pumps.

This is something Labour needs to debate at Conference and in our local parties so that all levels of government are more ambitious at helping households get through this winter by being less beholden to the wholesale price of gas.

As a commissioner on the NPF Clean Energy Commission I know many good ideas submitted by members, affiliates and experts haven’t made it into the consensual policy statement going to Conference. I want to provoke a more informed debate about some of the proposals we are dithering on because they may upset vested interests. 

Jenny Rathbone
Senedd Member(Welsh Labour) for Cardiff Central 2011-2026.

*****

Dear Labourlist

You have requested ideas for issues Labourlist should explore.

The right wing corporate dominated USA is currently seeing a huge public backlash against the virtually uncontrolled spread of AI data centres, which need vast amounts of space, energy and water consumption. Yet the UK, despite having a Labour government, is quietly drifting into the same unchallenged and unsustainable commitment to go down this road. 

14 million litres of water are now consumed annually by UK data centres. 

It is projected that 42 million litres will be needed by 2030 by which time we know water supplies will be LESS than today. Similarly, already substantial UK energy use by these centres is projected to quadruple by 2030. Huge increases in carbon emissions are also projected.

Our Net Zero targets are directly compromised by this and our water and power grids are severely threatened. At the same time the AI dangers pose to humanity are becoming clearer every day. Even the owners of AI corporations are admitting they cannot control escalating and terrifyingly dangerous behaviour by their creations.

Why is our Labour government still blithely looking to AI as a benign central part of our economy in the light of the obvious dangers I have mentioned?

Regards

Maurice Neville
Chair
Belper Labour Party Branch

*****

Daniel Green’s piece identifies the surface problems but not the question that is always asked by the right-wing ‘how do we pay for it?’ The answer concerns macro economics and bond markets and everyone groans and reverts to raising taxes which apparently is unacceptable.

Consider this – to bail out the banks and financial markets, we, through the Treasury and BoE, from 2008-22 created £875bn through QE. If we can do it for a financial crisis we can do it for a cost of living/housing/education/neet/NHS/justice/defence etc. crises. Theresa May said there was no Magic Money Tree and proceeded to create £100bns. For Liz Truss in late 2022 they created £19bn to buy bonds to stabilise the market and sold them back in early 2023 making £3bn profit in the process. 

The mistake was starting to pay commercial banks interest on their reserves (not loans to the govt.)  cut that interest like the European Central Bank has. Take back control of interest rates from the BoE to the Treasury. Realise that economic conventions like high interest rates and low inflation are to favour rich people who pay lobby groups and think tanks to promote their version of economics since Thatcher/Reagan. Make big economic  changes so you can afford the policy changes.

Colin Bryant
Wakefield

*****

Dear LabourList

There is a real problem with campaigning for proportional representation.

I am certainly in favour of electoral reform. In many parts of the country a particular party is way and above favoured in a particular area and first past the post may mean all the seats in the area are won by that party. This leads to one party rule and can bring total unaccountability and corruption.

For the GLA elections in London we have a top up list and the single transferable vote system. I think that works well and I would like a similar system for General and Council Elections. But unfortunately there are so many different forms of PR that no one can agree on which system. Political parties will simply want the system which will benefit them most. Remember we had a referendum on AV and some in Labour and the Tories campaigned against. I note that the Tories simply abolished STV in London and Labour has reversed that decision. The Tories kept the list system and Labour to its credit has not changed it. In Harrow many years ago we had an aldermanic list system that meant that there were some Labour representatives on the Council.

There are so many different sorts of PR that it is almost impossible to come to a cross-party consensus. I think Labour could just change the system along the lines we already we have.

Bill Stephenson

LabourList has the best Friends

Congratulations on the year Emma! You’ve done a great job of expanding the thoughtful pieces in your blog into a wider output through LabourList. By gum, it’s a tightrope that loyal but not factional line, and you have managed it really beautifully.

Duncan Enright

*****

Thank you Emma we love reading your Editorials. Thank you LabourList for another interesting year. We started as donors and have become friends. We need you more than ever! 

Mike and Christina Collis

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