3 hours ago
7
Polly Toynbee (From now on, Labour has one mission only. It must focus on saving Britain from Farage, 9 September) allocates to the Labour party a role that it probably cannot perform on its own. It is not inconceivable that there will only be one rightwing party at the next election – Nigel Farage may just swallow the Conservative party, or Reform and the Conservatives will make a deal.
If the progressive vote is split three ways (or four ways if Jeremy Corbyn’s party takes off) the result will be predictable. Toynbee talks of encouraging the Liberal Democrats and Greens to vote tactically for Labour – but we also need to create an environment where Labour voters are encouraged to vote tactically for the Lib Dems and Greens. This would require all three parties being more open to each other’s ideas and seeing themselves as allies – different manifestations of a centre-left consensus. This need not involve formal pacts, but perhaps a statement of common principles, values and approaches.
But none of this will happen unless the Labour party becomes more inclusive and tolerant of diverse opinions of its own MPs and membership. To be open to others it must become more open with itself.
Richard Henderson
Bristol
I agree with the sentiment of Polly Toynbee’s article imploring Keir Starmer to save the country from Nigel Farage, but question whether Starmer is the man to do it. While polls show that Reform is increasing its support, the majority of the public appear to recognise Farage for what he is.
Most see the need for, and benefits of, immigration. Do we really want to exclude 600,000 international students – and the £40bn they contribute to the UK economy – and health and care workers from the country?
Yet Starmer seems to be moving to the right, allowing Farage free rein in setting the terms of the immigration debate. Pointing out that the single most important cause of the rise in small boat crossings is Brexit would be a start.
Toynbee is right that Farage must be stopped but, without a willingness to take the gloves off and change direction, Starmer, alas, is not the man for the job.
David Cronin
Stockport, Greater Manchester
I found Polly Toynbee’s analysis insightful. If Reform grows in popularity and the Jeremy Corbyn‑Zarah Sultana party takes off, then an intriguing possibility for the next election would be no overall majority, but a significant number of rightwing Reform MPs and a similar number of new‑party leftwing MPs. Unthinkable though it seems, this could lead to a post‑election Labour-Lib Dem-Conservative coalition, with Greens and nationalists either inside or outside the tent depending on the exact arithmetic.
Steve Townsley
Wick, Vale of Glamorgan
Polly Toynbee correctly points out the need for Labour to tackle Reform and repugnant racism head-on. However, she fails to identify the media through which this battle has to be won. Many people, especially young people, do not get political messages through newspapers or terrestrial TV any more. I am amazed how Reform manages to dominate social media. I hardly ever see anything from Labour on TikTok, X or Facebook. Winning at PMQs is pointless when Nigel Farage knows he is wasting his time even turning up.
John Kinder
Romsey, Hampshire
