Time for Labour to split into two parties
Poor must get overseas aid
AFTER reading Gavin Lewis’s letter about Labour’s chances in the upcoming election it becomes clearer what the problem is.
I was an avid supporter of the New Labour Blairite government.
The country felt like a dynamic and progressive place to be.
Now, with Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, it feels like the dour joke it became in the 70s. Fundamentally, this is why Labour are so divided.
They should split into two separate parties, then people could make their choice. They seem unelectable at the moment.
Personally, I’ll give my backing to the Liberals. If they where to gain power they would be progressive, rather than regressive, as Labour now seem. P Moody, Littleborough AS Danielle Bollington points out
(Viewpoints, April 24) British overseas aid has helped save and transform countless lives in the Global South and I’m glad to hear political leaders pledging to maintain our commitment in difficult times when it would be easy and popular with some to withdraw and say we must prioritise our own.
I think aid should help poor people stand on their own feet, not be used to solve our migration ‘problems,’ transferred to pay for security companies (read ‘mercenaries’) or underwrite the MoD’s (very expensive) assistance in emergencies.
All too often UK Aid of late is used help wealthy corporations rather than workers’ co-operatives; financiers not farmers.
One example is the shadowy CDC Group plc (formerly Commonwealth Development Corporation), the private equity arm of Britain’s overseas aid programme. This describes its mission as: “...to support the building of businesses throughout Africa and South Asia, to create jobs and make a lasting difference to people’s lives in some of the world’s poorest places.”
This invests (note the word) with money men in projects such as building a bling shopping mall and posh apartments in Kenya.
Some may feel this an appropriate way of addressing need in Manchester and Salford; others dissent. Elsewhere our aid money has promoted privatisation of schools and health care. The government is expanding radically the percentage of our ‘aid’ going through CDC which makes a good return, money which comes OUT of that invested in economy.
CDC seems to believe in ‘Trickle down’ wealth generation – making things better for the rich so they have more to spend, thereby aiding the poor. However, this model is discredited as we see daily on our streets. Let’s hope our new MPs will be vigilant to maintain and make sure our Overseas Aid actually helps the poor. S Domino, Withington
Election rules go by wayside
A BOOKLET on the Greater Manchester Combined Mayoral Election has been published by Eamonn Boylan, the returning officer.
This booklet contains information on the candidate election addresses. One candidate has also issued his own manifesto separately.
I have been involved in a number of elections over the years and issued election addresses that were paid for by my political party. It looks as if in this election the normal election procedures are not followed.
There is some suggestion that the role of the mayor is comparable to the London Mayor, and even the Scottish Parliament.
First of all the members of the London Assembly and the Scottish Parliament are directly elected whereas the members of the Mayor’s Cabinet are the party leaders from the 10 Metropolitan Authorities, so combining their roles as leaders of their own authority and as members of the Mayoral Cabinet. Can the dual role be undertaken satisfactorily?
Of course this legacy is the ‘brainchild’ of George Osborne, the former chancellor, and soon to be an ex-Member of Parliament , departing to new financial pastures.
The booklet refers to the Mayor’s powers and responsibilities: fire service, transport, planning, housing and police. Yet the Labour candidate states that ‘we will rebuild in Greater Manchester the country’s first National Health and Care Service. We will bring social care fully into the NHS.’ Apart from not being part of the Mayoral remit this former health secretary did nothing to integrate Health and Social Care during his time in government. Tom Jackson, Stockport
Pep and Jose must step up
RE. Mr Carlisle’s comments about Pep at City. Both Manchester managers have a lot to prove.
Mr Mourino spent £89 million on one player. Currently a return of the EFL Cup is a scant return for the total outlay. Mourino is very good at defensive masterclasses but currently to many draws and not enough entertaining football. Pep has no trophies but inherited a side that was aging and in defence needed an overhaul. Both managers need to improve and next season will prove who has improved most. Football Fan, Hyde