Letters to the editor: Labour’s division affects London

Labour hopeful: Owen Smith
REUTERS
2 August 2016
WEST END FINAL

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For many Labour Party members and supporters this is a trying time. Two polarised camps are emerging with no sign of compromise in sight. Clearly both sides have strong convictions and genuinely have their party’s best interests at heart.

Yet as the Labour leadership contest drags on it seems increasingly unlikely that the party will be able to unite. Many are wondering what will happen if the Labour party splits. A strong Opposition is essential to any democracy. Governments must be held to account. So this is a pressing concern for Westminster, where Labour are in opposition, but in London it is a greater worry.

There are 20 Labour-run local authorities in London, not to mention a newly elected Labour Mayor. Whatever the outcome of the leadership election there are likely to be serious consequences for our capital if the party does not unite behind its leader.

While it is unclear how this will end, what is certain is that local authorities in London need strong governance. A divided Labour Party cannot deliver that.
Cllr Susan Hall, leader of Harrow Conservative Group

It is no surprise that Labour voters are turning their backs on their divided party when Owen Smith is regarded as the man to turn the party around. Smith simply does not match up to previous leadership candidates Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Liz Kendall.

With a more credible contender standing against him I feel Jeremy Corbyn would be more concerned about losing the leadership election.
S Choudhury

I was shocked to read in your paper that the overwhelming majority of paid-up members of Streatham Labour Party, including me, had been deprived of a vote as to whom the local party would nominate for Labour leader. The Streatham party’s excuse is that it would have been “too difficult” to arrange for all members to vote is clearly nonsense.

Instead, I would suggest the real reason party members were excluded from having their say was purely political, and chimes with the contempt that many Right-wing Labour MPs have for the grassroots supporters of Jeremy Corbyn.
Peter Hurst

How can Jeremy Corbyn possibly have a chance of leading Labour effectively when, less than a year into the job, he has been betrayed and challenged by his own shadow cabinet and MPs? Corbyn is the duly elected leader, and if re-elected, should be left to lead in peace.

If the Labour Party is presently unelectable, the fault does not lie with Corbyn but entirely with his treacherous parliamentary colleagues, who can’t accept Corbyn won an overwhelming victory in the first place.
Dominic Shelmerdine

Is RideLondon race right for the capital?

I live in central London and have just spent almost three hours getting across town on a journey that would normally take 45 minutes. Many parts of London were at a standstill, major bus routes cancelled, large areas of the city closed off. The reason? RideLondon, an amateur cycle ride backed by a major insurance company.

I am not sure of the cost in lost business to the city but it has been a major inconvenience to a large number of individuals going about their daily lives, as well as to tourists. I can only think that those who agreed for this event to go ahead were of similar ilk to the male, pale and stale participants. I just hope it is not allowed to happen again.
Zoe Pease

It was very saddening to hear about Robin Chard, who passed away after taking part in the RideLondon race [August 1]. What should be remembered is his noble effort to give back to Cancer Research by raising money for it — not that the event caused travel disruption in London. Some people need to get a better perspective.
Richard Hall

Hybrids the answer to our toxic air crisis

It is welcome news that the City of London Corporation is to stop buying diesel vehicles in a bid to clean up the capital’s air pollution (July 29). London’s toxic air crisis means other fleet buyers in London should urgently follow their example.

The most cost-effective immediate solution for both fleet owners and private vehicle owners is to switch to a LPG/petrol hybrid. Not only does this result in cleaner air for London but it also has similar running costs to diesel.

And with more than 50 LPG refuelling points within the M25, LPG provides a convenient, quicker, cleaner and cheaper solution for our capital.
Jane Lindsay-Green, general manager, Autogas Ltd

Southern must be Khan’s priority

The already dire situation on the Southern railway network is set to get much worse as the RMT union prepares for a five-day strike starting on Monday. We know how badly commuters are suffering and Wandsworth council, among many others, has called on the Mayor to get to grips with this crisis.

The Mayor, Sadiq Khan, promised all Londoners “zero days of strikes” in his election campaign, but Southern customers have suffered industrial action since the day he took office. Khan needs to put Londoners first.
Cllr Jonathan Cook, deputy leader, Wandsworth Council

Misery of the City Airport expansion

The Government’s decision to allow the expansion of City Airport is terrible news for east London residents.

City Airport already causes misery for those living in Leyton, Leytonstone and Wanstead and expansion will only make this worse, with the number of take-offs and landings at the airport increasing sharply. City Airport was originally built for small aircraft but its continuing expansion without the consent of residents is a clear case of putting the greed of big business before the people.
Mark Dawes, Green Party

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