Keir Starmer reminded us often that his father was a toolmaker, a skilled occupation. In his Labour party conference speech, Andy Burnham referenced his parents, Eileen and his late father Roy. He did not mention that Roy was a telecoms engineer, also a skilled job, and one that was and is fully unionised, with decent terms and conditions. Perhaps the PM sees in that not just the past but also the future of work.
Keith Flett
Tottenham, London
• Andy Burnham’s belief that investment in public spending will save money in the longer term is a positive-sum calculus targeted at improving the quality of life. After all, if private capital can generate profit from privatised utilities and services, then by the same token public spending can direct funding to benefit the common good.
Austen Lynch
Garstang, Lancashire
