Keir Starmer appears determined to back himself into a corner. In the last few days, he has declared that electoral reform is not a priority and that he will not entertain any sort of post-election arrangement with the Liberal Democrats (Report, 18 July). The overriding moral and political obligation on the Labour party (alongside dealing with climate change) is to see off our authoritarian government and ensure that it can never return to power by way of first past the post. The surest way to achieve this is for Labour to lead the broadest possible coalition of forces.
A passionate promotion of such a strategy would be a more effective response to Tory claims that Labour was surrendering to the Lib Dems than this fearful dismissal of cooperation with them. Labour will not be able to reconstruct our crisis-torn society on its own without a shared understanding of what needs to be done way beyond its own ranks. It may not even get the chance if it slips back into the “one more heave” syndrome that has cost it dear in the past.
David Parker
Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
