Labour can be green, spendy and cheerful

Keir Starmer would do well to remember that voters need reasons to be cheerful, writes David Purdy. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

As Labour MPs struggle to square the party’s “green prosperity plan” with the exigencies of the coming election campaign (Labour to hold crunch talks on future of £28bn green investment plan, 19 January), they should remember three things: that sometimes attack is the best form of defence; that “the only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable” (JK Galbraith); and that we the voters need “reasons to be cheerful” (Ian Dury).
David Purdy
Stirling

• In his letter about lifelong learning, Prof Jonathan Michie (Letters, 21 January) did not mention the Open University. At the age of 30, I enrolled for the science foundation course and found it fascinating. So much so that I now have an Open University BA to add to my older Birmingham BSc. I still have a student number so I am able enrol for further courses.
Tony Meacock
Norwich