Roy Hattersley makes a timely case for the party to underpin its emerging policy stances with a philosophical commitment to social equality in wealth and power (“Labour should be bold and declare that equality is its abiding principle”, Comment).
An opportunist Tory leadership is currently floating ideas to “steal” some traditional Labour policies – more funding for the NHS and schools, state support for certain strategically significant enterprises – to gain popularity and distract from the increasingly evident disruption generated by Brexit. Labour needs to offer a more coherent and consistent approach to tackling the UK’s underlying social and economic challenges.
Hattersley also reminds us that “equality and liberty go hand in hand”. This Tory Brexit already threatens to further erode rights at work and risks lower UK living standards through measures to undercut neighbouring EU industries and services. A Labour emphasis on genuinely creative education, democratising workplace life and on promoting stronger local communities and well-financed local government would underline this key point. Greater social equality empowers our individual freedoms and meaningful democratic practice.
John Chowcat
Hythe, Kent
Hattersley’s encouragement to the Labour party to make an abiding and overarching commitment to equality is timely. The pandemic has exposed so much inequality: to adequate income, good health, educational opportunity. The barriers posed by race, geography and age have been laid bare.
The Equality Trust and its affiliated local groups vigorously champion the lessons of The Spirit Level, the seminal 2009 book on equality: happier, healthier societies based on a fair distribution of both income and wealth.
Seeking equality shouldn’t be the sole preserve of the Labour party; the principles extend across the political spectrum at both national and local government levels. Greater equality ensures both a strong private sector and a well-funded and flexible public sector. Fairness does not apply solely to human encounters; it applies to the way we treat the life-support systems that planet Earth affords us, reminding us to treat these with restraint and respect if they – and we – are to flourish.
Rob Pearce
Dorset Equality Group
Wimborne, Dorset
Johnson’s brief bounce
Andrew Rawnsley’s article demonstrates the short-term nature of contemporary politics (“The bad taste question about Covid that everyone in Westminster is asking”, Comment). What matters to the denizens of Westminster is less good governance than the “bluebird of spring” that will transform their poll ratings.
There is no doubt that a successful vaccination programme will do this. People grateful for the vaccine will forget the policy mishaps that led up to this moment. However, this boost will be temporary, as his many other policy failures will have a negative impact on people’s lives.
This bad Brexit will generate a number of problems, which by winter will take the shine off this government. Brexit is already causing trouble in Northern Ireland. A government whose sole NI policy has been to pander to the DUP will struggle to deal effectively with any future crisis there.
While the successful Covid vaccination programme will boost this government’s standing with the people it is unrealistic for this government with its record of bad governance to expect future “bluebird” events to bail them out.
Derrick Joad
Leeds, West Yorkshire
A chance to rebuild our cities
If the closure of Arcadia and Debenhams stores will lead to the release of 1.4m square feet of retail space in city and town centres, doesn’t this present a fantastic opportunity to reshape our urban environment by rebuilding, but this time in the shape of residential units for young people and retired people (“Physical retailing is at death’s door – and tinkering with business rates can’t save it”, Business leader)?
It could be the chance to build sustainable housing creating green jobs as part of the Green New Deal and divert pressure from the constant assault on our countryside and green spaces for new housing estates that are expensive and certainly not sustainable. It could also rebuild communities that would benefit and thrive from living at the hub of urban cultural quarters.
And how to finance this? Well, how about a one-off wealth tax on Amazon and the other corporations that are doing so well out the pandemic and the death of the high street?
Paul Goodman
Loughborough, Leicestershire
Books are priceless assets
Further to your report on the outcome of Liverpool artist’s model June Furlong’s gift to the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum in Birkenhead, it is worth pointing out that lesser-sung bequests to public libraries have also met a similar fate (“Were the last wishes of muse who inspired Freud and Lennon ignored?”, News).
As a former employee of a Carnegie-founded public library, I witnessed the exploitation of books given in good faith for the benefit of the local community sold to dealers who took their pick of the more financially remunerative items.
The squeeze on library services funding during the 1980s and 1990s put huge pressure on collections where the intention was to enrich the cultural experience and knowledge of the public, not the bolstering of hard-pressed councils. The cultural damage that this has done, not just to local communities, but nationwide, really doesn’t have a price attached.
Felicity McGowan
Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales
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