Will Hutton is right to say that there is too much talk from Labour about “iron fiscal responsibility, tough choices and grim outlook”, and “not enough on hope” (“Bidenomics is beginning to pay off. Starmer needs to keep the faith and lift the gloom”, Comment).
Tony Blair’s “political framing” was indeed far more inspiring than the one currently being presented by Keir Starmer, even though its authenticity evaporated within weeks of his being in office. Starmer’s “variant on Bidenomics” should lead to increased business investment and economic growth, but the faith the Labour leadership has in trickledown economics has to be modified if it’s to prove a vote-winner.
Profit-making businesses in recent years have not only with their short-term policies focused on profits, largely ignoring investment in plant and training, but they have excessively over-rewarded CEOs at the expense of better pay for the workers. Despite the cost of living crisis, pay inequality is still way too high: according to the High Pay Centre’s figures, 21% of FTSE 350 companies had a CEO to median employee pay ratio of over 100:1, with 3% an obscene 200:1 ratio, in 2022; the overall average for all of these firms was 57:1.
An acknowledgement from Starmer that a fairer society cannot be created until these figures change, and that profit-making companies should be sharing out the profits more evenly, would at least signal some reasons for hope for a better future under Labour. Fiscal responsibility only makes sense to voters if it doesn’t mean the collapse of our public services; it has to be allied with social responsibility, something which Starmer and his advisers seem content to ignore!
Bernie Evans
Liverpool
The perils of family courts
I read Hannah Summers’ article with keen interest (“Court removes daughter from care of mother who disputed use of expert”, News, last week). As someone who has faced similar challenges, I am heartened by this verdict, signalling a positive shift in the courts’ approach to deep-rooted problems affecting many families.
However, the article’s focus on the “unregulated” aspect of the case risks misleading readers about its significance compared with the judgment’s broader rationale. It’s important to note that other clinical professionals involved in the case are regulated. A more comprehensive perspective, acknowledging that regulation does not always guarantee effective practice, would have added balance.
This case represents just one instance in a broader pattern of painful experiences for children and parents, illustrating systemic flaws in our legal system’s handling of complex cases and enforcement of orders.
Daniel Saul Zeff
London
Teaching the inspectors
The plethora of letters on the woes of school inspections and education (Letters) reminds me of my nine-year-old grandson, who, during a recent inspection, was assigned the task of explaining the role of science in his school. I am sure the inspectors left with a greater appreciation of both science and educational methodology.
Val Mainwood
Wivenhoe, Essex
Profiting from misery
Refugees’ misery is big business (“Sunak accused of toxic rhetoric after warning of ‘overwhelming’ migration”, News). Public money in the billions is being handed over by this government to private contractors who house people seeking safety in terrible conditions. We need to see profit taken out of the equation.
Andrew Nutt
Bargoed, Caerphilly
Civilian casualties in Gaza
Of the Palestinians killed in Israel’s bombing of Gaza, 61% are civilians and 39% Hamas militants according to an Israeli study (“Labour steps up criticism of ‘intolerable’ killings in Gaza”, News).
I believe the civilian proportion is much higher. In principle, one would expect indiscriminate aerial bombing to kill similar numbers of male and female civilians, perhaps more men if they are out in the street searching for food and water, with women perhaps at home or in tents. Children playing outside are particularly vulnerable.
The latest Gaza health ministry figures, which include civilian and military deaths (not broken out), and are reasonably accurate according to the United Nations, are roughly 5,000 men (30%), 5,000 women (30%) and 7,000 children under 18 (40%) for a total of 17,000.
Before the war, Israel estimated 30,000 Hamas fighters, overwhelmingly male, in a Gaza population of two million. The alleged 39% split translates to about 6,500 Hamas militants killed to date. That substantially exceeds the total number of adult males killed, which is absurd.
Joseph Palley
Richmond, Surrey
School reform in Scotland
Sonia Sodha is correct when she states there is little opposition to the curriculum reforms in Scotland, and it was the Labour party that introduced them (“Scottish schools have tumbled from top of the class. This is what went wrong”, Comment).
While the SNP now bears responsibility for education, the truth is that the decline in international comparison performance has been evident since the setting up of Holyrood. Basic flawed curriculum changes and assessment procedures were embedded at the start of the 21st century.
Now, many children do not sit a national exam, in maths for example, at the end of statutory education. Poverty should never be used as an excuse for poor performance, that’s almost like blaming the pupils. The role of politicians is to mitigate such conditions with rigorous education policy. That is seriously lacking at the moment.
Political parties of all colours in Scotland have taken their eye off the ball, wasting time and financial resources fighting useless turf wars. It’s just not good enough.
Ronnie McGowan
Glasgow
