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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2016/dec/04/observer-letters-nick-cohen-populism-housing-green-belt
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| Letters: where are the politicians who will challenge the consensus? Letters: where are the politicians who will challenge the consensus? | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| I have been reading the Observer since the age of 14. Now nearing 70, I was reminded why by Nick Cohen’s razor-sharp and deeply rational analysis of the rise of populism and its pervasive influence over current political direction (Comment). | I have been reading the Observer since the age of 14. Now nearing 70, I was reminded why by Nick Cohen’s razor-sharp and deeply rational analysis of the rise of populism and its pervasive influence over current political direction (Comment). |
| Read in conjunction with Andrew Rawnsley’s plea to at least give a fair hearing to Blair and Major with their 17 years of experience at the summit of political decision-making and we have a powerful if depressing landscape upon which to cast our eyes. | Read in conjunction with Andrew Rawnsley’s plea to at least give a fair hearing to Blair and Major with their 17 years of experience at the summit of political decision-making and we have a powerful if depressing landscape upon which to cast our eyes. |
| I almost cheered when Cohen reminded us that what in the past kept demonstrably despicable regimes in power was the idea that “you can only vote for them once”. It is perfectly reasonable to change one’s mind. It is not unusual to consult “the people” again once the facts are known. | I almost cheered when Cohen reminded us that what in the past kept demonstrably despicable regimes in power was the idea that “you can only vote for them once”. It is perfectly reasonable to change one’s mind. It is not unusual to consult “the people” again once the facts are known. |
| It is understandable to want to revisit a decision when the stakes are so high. So where are the contemporary politicians with the courage, integrity and sheer guts to stand up to the bias and toxicity of the rightwing press and speak out? | It is understandable to want to revisit a decision when the stakes are so high. So where are the contemporary politicians with the courage, integrity and sheer guts to stand up to the bias and toxicity of the rightwing press and speak out? |
| And when we find them (Tim Farron, Caroline Lucas, Kenneth Clarke), why do the wider media, particularly the BBC, not have the balls to give them proper coverage instead of parading the likes of Nigel Farage constantly before our gaze? Have the moguls at the corporation stopped reading the Observer? I haven’t.Dr Rod PatonSouthampton | And when we find them (Tim Farron, Caroline Lucas, Kenneth Clarke), why do the wider media, particularly the BBC, not have the balls to give them proper coverage instead of parading the likes of Nigel Farage constantly before our gaze? Have the moguls at the corporation stopped reading the Observer? I haven’t.Dr Rod PatonSouthampton |
| Can Nick Cohen really be serious when comparing Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon to Recep Erdogan and Donald Trump, or the true Finns, and suggesting that they are in some way “rightwing nationalists”? | Can Nick Cohen really be serious when comparing Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon to Recep Erdogan and Donald Trump, or the true Finns, and suggesting that they are in some way “rightwing nationalists”? |
| Their crime: daring to challenge the palpably nonsensical idea that Scotland might not be able to survive as an independent state. He then goes further and suggests that the progressive, social democratic, secessionist movement in Scotland is creating a climate of intimidation and intolerance. | Their crime: daring to challenge the palpably nonsensical idea that Scotland might not be able to survive as an independent state. He then goes further and suggests that the progressive, social democratic, secessionist movement in Scotland is creating a climate of intimidation and intolerance. |
| His arguments are also somewhat inconsistent: the winners of the referendum in Scotland are being ignored, in the way the losers of the UK referendum are. His call for the British people to have the right to a second opinion presumably would not extend to the Scottish people having a second independence referendum, despite having returned 56 SNP MPs out of 59, in a general election the year after the referendum. Michael MullenGlasgow | His arguments are also somewhat inconsistent: the winners of the referendum in Scotland are being ignored, in the way the losers of the UK referendum are. His call for the British people to have the right to a second opinion presumably would not extend to the Scottish people having a second independence referendum, despite having returned 56 SNP MPs out of 59, in a general election the year after the referendum. Michael MullenGlasgow |
| Build a better Britain | Build a better Britain |
| Mike Gotch is surely wrong to suggest that housing should be built “close to centres of employment” – that is, over the green belt (Big issue). The unconstrained free market means that London and the south-east have acted for several decades as an economic black hole, sucking in jobs, people and housing. | Mike Gotch is surely wrong to suggest that housing should be built “close to centres of employment” – that is, over the green belt (Big issue). The unconstrained free market means that London and the south-east have acted for several decades as an economic black hole, sucking in jobs, people and housing. |
| This has led to overbuilding, traffic and pollution and a lack of investment – productive and cultural – in much of the rest of the country. | This has led to overbuilding, traffic and pollution and a lack of investment – productive and cultural – in much of the rest of the country. |
| The solution is a national policy to support the regions, aiming to give every part of the country good jobs, homes and infrastructure. This should have happened 40 years ago, but such planning was then ideologically unfashionable. | The solution is a national policy to support the regions, aiming to give every part of the country good jobs, homes and infrastructure. This should have happened 40 years ago, but such planning was then ideologically unfashionable. |
| It’s not too late to start now.Mark HurtwellWoking | It’s not too late to start now.Mark HurtwellWoking |
| Let’s all be flexible | Let’s all be flexible |
| Katie Allen is right to identify flexible working as part of the solution to the UK’s productivity problem (“Hammond needs to look beyond road-building to lift UK’s productivity”, Business). | Katie Allen is right to identify flexible working as part of the solution to the UK’s productivity problem (“Hammond needs to look beyond road-building to lift UK’s productivity”, Business). |
| In our annual survey, two-thirds of working mothers consistently say they would think about childcare arrangements before taking a new job or a promotion. | In our annual survey, two-thirds of working mothers consistently say they would think about childcare arrangements before taking a new job or a promotion. |
| But, actually, shifting the starting point so that all jobs are advertised flexibly as the norm rather than the exception would propel flexibility from being a favour to mothers to being the accepted way of doing business. Hiring managers would think through the best way to get the job done and what workers can realistically achieve in the hours allocated to the role. | But, actually, shifting the starting point so that all jobs are advertised flexibly as the norm rather than the exception would propel flexibility from being a favour to mothers to being the accepted way of doing business. Hiring managers would think through the best way to get the job done and what workers can realistically achieve in the hours allocated to the role. |
| Those employers who have already embraced flexibility as their modus operandi report increased engagement, motivation, loyalty and, hence, productivity.Sarah JacksonChief executiveWorking FamiliesLondon SE5 | Those employers who have already embraced flexibility as their modus operandi report increased engagement, motivation, loyalty and, hence, productivity.Sarah JacksonChief executiveWorking FamiliesLondon SE5 |
| Damned statistics | Damned statistics |
| Much as I admire William Keegan, I worry I will soon be seeing him driving around Britain’s high streets in a bus with the slogan: “Only 28% of the population voted for Brexit!” (Business, last week) painted on the side. | Much as I admire William Keegan, I worry I will soon be seeing him driving around Britain’s high streets in a bus with the slogan: “Only 28% of the population voted for Brexit!” (Business, last week) painted on the side. |
| I think he is in danger of destroying his case with the dubious use of figures; after all, one could say that fewer than 28% of the population voted Remain.Andrew JukesEye, Suffolk | I think he is in danger of destroying his case with the dubious use of figures; after all, one could say that fewer than 28% of the population voted Remain.Andrew JukesEye, Suffolk |
| Next door to Alice | Next door to Alice |
| Born and bred in Alice Bacon’s Leeds constituency, I was reminded by Rachel Reeves’s fascinating article (Comment) of her winning slogan in the 1945 general election: “Alice Bacon knows your needs, send her back for North-East Leeds”.Moira RedfernLondon W3 | Born and bred in Alice Bacon’s Leeds constituency, I was reminded by Rachel Reeves’s fascinating article (Comment) of her winning slogan in the 1945 general election: “Alice Bacon knows your needs, send her back for North-East Leeds”.Moira RedfernLondon W3 |