Despite Keir Starmer’s speech, people will not forget what Corbyn has done

I read with great surprise the details of the speech by Sir Keir Starmer barring Jeremy Corbyn from election as a Labour Party candidate. The adamance of Sir Kier’s message to Corbyn’s supporters that they could leave Labour too if they disagreed is even more perplexing.

Most people were appalled by revelations that Labour had antisemitic members and supported the strongest moves to rectify this. Corbyn has a long record of bravely standing up for ordinary people in causes that were often unpopular, but important. This long record predates his time as Labour leader, and many people will not forget what he has done.

At a time when we are faced with a failing economy, environmental challenges and threats of global conflict, we seek leaders with integrity, humanity, consistency and courage. This speech does not demonstrate those qualities in Sir Starmer, and reminds us of what we know about the man being purged.

Andrew Isaac Meso

Herts

Susan Alexander on the letters page has got it absolutely right about Nicola Sturgeon.

She may indeed have polarised opinions, but at least she had belief and faith in her convictions. An authentic nationalist leader who always gave the sense that she was doing what she thought was best for her country. The Conservative party could learn something from her in their own ideological and populist pursuits.

The innate anger she felt on behalf of her country at the Brexit referendum result was tangible, real and deeply personal. I for one will miss her erudition, political composure and her stand-out personality. Love her or loathe her, you couldn’t ignore her. If she was a thorn in the flesh to some, at least she had impact, status, presence, and canny political acumen; even if it sometimes led her down some controversial rabbit holes.

Judith A Daniels

Norfolk

It is surprising that some people now claim Labour is “the party of business”, as the Liberal Democrats have always favoured a market-based economy; and that includes trading with international (including EU) markets.

The Labour Party have been ambivalent towards the EU since the Brexit referendum, whereas the Liberal Democrats have consistently argued that we should align ourselves with the EU until the mood changes and we could rejoin.

Now our British coffers are £29bn lighter and every household is £1,000 down. The British public is finally feeling the reality of Brexit, and as a result, there is increasing mistrust in the Tories; but also in Labour.

Liberal Democrats are the only party to offer a different strand of thinking, and the more the public understands that, the more opportunity will be afforded to actual change.

Linda Johnson

Beverley

Once again, another contributor reminds us of the mess we’re in and lays all our woes at the door of Brexit.

Each “I told you so” letter contains an inevitable call for a return from Brexit, back to EU bureaucracy and wishes for yet another referendum.

Keen as some are to tell us all what a dog’s breakfast we’ve got ourselves into thanks to Brexit, I find myself disagreeing wholeheartedly about how a return to the EU is the answer to our problems. Having friends living in both Austria and Germany I can assure readers that the same horrific issues with energy costs, a lack of cheap labour, and huge problems with access to healthcare are part of Europe’s daily grind too.

The UK isn’t an isolated pit of despair and the current issues are a massive worldwide phenomenon. While Remainers are more than happy to patronisingly blame everything on the misguided “perplexed” Brexit voters who allowed themselves to have the wool pulled over their eyes, could I remind everyone that the decision (right or wrong) was a democratic one.

Steve Mackinder

Denver

Having read yet another guide to health and wellbeing I sat here this morning frustrated that the same old advice, which has failed so many, continues to be trodden out. This time of year in particular, we’re all encouraged to change our ways in the hope that it will turn our lives around and help us lose weight; but why do so many fail in their attempts?

Well for a start, the advice is confusing. Eat meat, don’t eat meat; eat fat, avoid fat; eat carbs, don’t eat carbs. No wonder the public is confused. Add to this the food environment. Walking around our local supermarket the temptation is everywhere; the bakery section, cakes, and aisle after aisle of ultra-processed foods from crisps to chocolate and worse still, the foods that pretend to be healthy like breakfast cereals.

Refined carbohydrates are everywhere, and we know now the evidence points to their overconsumption as being the number one cause of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The government brought in a sugar tax to reduce the amount that’s piled into our bottles of fizz but can they reduce the march of ultra-processed food consumption, or do they even want to? It’s pretty profitable if we continue to eat it although I’m sure the NHS, who have to pick up the pieces, would argue we could do so much better.

I’m a health and wellbeing coach for the NHS, and have looked after hundreds of patients, guiding them back to health and naturally losing weight. I love what I do because in reality it’s so simple, yet we overcomplicate things by getting people to count calories and avoid healthy foods like meat and eggs. Go a week eating real food and watch how your body will start to thank you for it.

Mark Hancock

NHS health and wellbeing coach