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If they want to retain a shred of dignity, moderates must leave the Labour Party

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

Tuesday 24 April 2018 13:52 BST
Comments
Chuka Umunna wrote for The Independent on the Labour Party’s problem with antisemitism
Chuka Umunna wrote for The Independent on the Labour Party’s problem with antisemitism

Chuka Ummuna is absolutely right that there is a need to act when it comes to antisemitism. But the Labour leadership has shown time and again it is unwilling to act. And worse still, Jeremy Corbyn has undermined those who speak up about antisemitism in the party.

He and other moderates will eventually retire. Would they like their political epitaph to be that they stayed in an antisemitic party which simply could not change? Or would they prefer to be remembered for their courage in breaking away and starting something new or joining a party like the Lib Dems whose values they are more closely aligned to?

I have a lot of respect for those Labour MPs brave enough to stand up against antisemitism and racism in their ranks. But as every day passes when those MPs stay in the current Labour Party that respect diminishes.

The time has now come for the moderates to leave. Their political home has left them.

Chris Key
Address supplied

Toronto stands strong

It is mind boggling to hear what is unfolding in our beautiful city of Toronto. Very sad indeed and troubling. My condolences go to those who are affected by this senseless calamity.

It is hard to imagine why any human would do such a thing but we live in a world where humans have gone into the extreme and lost their human touch.

I hope the media will not sensationalise this horrific event in order to win ratings. I also hope common sense and sanity prevail and human beings will work hard to rediscover the lost human touch in the midst of this calamity.

May our country be protected from hatred, from enmity and from many problems facing people including mental issues, drug addictions and violence.

Abubakar N Kasim
Toronto, ON

No benefits for Kate and Will

I hope that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will not be treated any differently to any other citizen of Great Britain now that they have had a third child.

Under the welfare reform legislation, from 6 April 2017, with certain exceptions, no parents will receive state aid or benefits for three or more children. The exceptions do not apply to children of the royal family.

I trust that the Cambridgeshires will not receive any state aid for the latest addition to the royal household.

Tony Greenstein
Brighton

Leave vs Remain

We often hear leave voters claiming that they “won” the referendum. This analogy with sport is of dubious value in determining Britain’s future but perhaps could usefully be extended to Thursday’s Commons vote. It is suggested that the Conservatives will be instructed not to vote as they are likely to lose. Would not a football team failing to turn up for the same reason attract universal derision?

Richard Greenwood
Bewdley

Retaining the EU Human Rights Charter

In opposing the motion in the House of Lords to retain the EU Human Rights Charter after the UK leaves the EU, Lord Keen says: “We’re prepared, apparently, to abandon it in favour of a body of foreign law because we no longer trust ourselves to protect our own fundamental human rights.”

Lord Keen is mistaken; it is we, the people, that do not trust you, the politicians, to protect our fundamental human rights.

David Maddison
Uxbridge

The art of teaching is dead

Assuming there is some truth in the old adage “those that can do, those that can’t teach”, the population of teachers going to teacher training college can be broadly defined into two groups: those with ability who are lazy and those who aren’t very smart who work hard.

Nowadays, the “art” of teaching a lesson has gone. Download a really good lesson plan/resources and the individualised, pupil-centred learning needs little more than a facilitator. All the creativity and intelligent spontaneity has gone to be replaced with a dogmatic ability to keep to a set of standards and norms.

Place the population, described in my first paragraph, in an educational establishment and the workers will soon rise to the top, leaving a population of disillusioned, naturally more intelligent and creative “underclass” of main scale teachers and a group of hard working dimwits at the top.

Perhaps the writing of this letter, rather than focusing on planning my lessons, is a good indication of the group I fit into and why I find this supposition reassuring.

Jonathan Walwyn
Dubai

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