I was struck, when trying to find a reference in back issues, that it is almost exactly a year since Tom McTague’s first issue of the magazine, which featured Keir Starmer on the cover. As I write, the news is still fresh that the Prime Minister has resigned, and a sense of national collapse continues.
Andrew Marr quotes David Hockney (The New Society, 19 June) as saying a phrase I first heard in art school in the 1970s: that art-making requires “the eye, the hand, and the heart”. On hearing the phrase again I realised how much of a lodestar this concept has been for me, before realising that it could equally be applied to the New Statesman, which looks with intelligence at the world, crafts meaningful words and has its heart in the right place.
As Hockney went on to say, “two are not enough”, and Keir Starmer is lacking in at least one of these qualities. We can only hope that Burnham (for surely it will be he) has all three qualities in the art of being a leader. If not, can someone please make sure he has a New Statesman subscription?
Graham Johnston, Wymondham
What do we believe?
Will Lloyd’s report from Makerfield (Cover Story, 19 June) stated that only three copies of Orwell’s The Road to Wigan Pier are sold in the town each month. It might have been more informative to ask about the sales of Animal Farm. Lloyd, like Orwell, and Engels before him, reveals a dire state of affairs that is well known locally but ignored by wider society. The questions raised are not just for Andy Burnham to answer, as Lloyd seems to suggest, but for us all. As a resident of Greater Manchester, I respect Burnham, but he has no magic wand. Those of us who benefit from (and suffer) under the current state of affairs must grasp the nettle together.
Simon Oxley, Cheadle Hulme
I read Will Lloyd’s piece “Makerfield Days” on by-election day. In the same issue, Tom McTague asked: “What do we believe?” (Editor’s Note). I believe in the innate goodness of people, the kindness of strangers and the fragility of democracy. All were on display in Makerfield.
What next? I would ask the Labour Party to make sure there isn’t an undemocratic “shoo-in” of Andy Burnham, as is being discussed in the media, and that proper process is followed.
Ruth Potter, Stamford Bridge
Mo’ people, mo’ problems
Distressingly, as he is my favourite NS writer, Andrew Marr (Politics, 19 June) repeats, without criticism, the idea that falling populations are a problem. I’d argue that fewer people leads to fewer problems, particularly less pressure on our climate, water quality and wildlife. In any case, as AI is apparently going to destroy countless jobs, we won’t need people to do them.
Jeanette Longfield, London
Don’t put your footie in it
Ivor Morgan (Correspondence, 12 June) seems to have fallen into the common trap of equating Greater Manchester with Manchester. Given that the Makerfield constituency is closer to Liverpool than to Manchester, Andy Burnham had no reason to hide his love for Everton FC.
Graham Hughes, Chester
On Serco and succession
I thought Anoosh Chakelian’s Cover Story (12 June) was excellent. Grounded in the context of Makerfield, it was not only timely but gritty and well informed. HMOs provided the human thread to a detailed analysis of Serco’s Alien-like hosting in the body of the state. This was fine journalism.
I have in the past said uncomplimentary things about the London-centricity of the NS. However, this tour de force has presented a reasoned case and laid out the facts in a compelling narrative.
Dr Peter Williams, Malton
Recently NS journalists (including Anoosh Chakelian) have taken up the mantra “everything is broken”, echoing David Cameron’s claim in 2010 that “Britain is broken”. This despairing cry is usually followed by “if Starmer is ousted as PM his replacement will be our seventh PM in ten years” – shock horror! I was born in 1954 and by my tenth birthday Britain had had five prime ministers. Political journalists need to keep their hysteria at bay. Everything in Britain is not broken.
John Boaler, Calne, Wiltshire
Notes to the editor
It’s quite an achievement in an edition of the magazine to upset a subscriber in the second sentence, particularly when the cover article is about our divided communities. Tom McTague writes that the mood of a nation is determined by the fortunes of the England football team – “at least the mood of that bit of the nation south of the border” (Editor’s Note, 19 June). As someone who lives west of the border I can assure Tom that my mood is indeed determined by the fortunes of the England football team, but perhaps not in the way he imagines. Their success brings anxiety, irritability, anger, sleeplessness and the fear that the rest of my days will be a form of grinding anguish as my country, west of England, is subjected to hourly reminders that England has somehow succeeded in football. It’s not just the Scots; I’m sure there are communities in Northern Ireland as well as here whose mood is not so intangible or hard to gauge.
Mike Daley, Swansea
I recently re-subscribed to the NS. In the short time since I have been struck by the English orientation of the Editor’s Notes. In the latest one we read of England and the mood of the “nation”. What nation, I wonder? There is no mention of the other UK “nation” playing in North America. The piece concludes with yet another mention of “national mood” with reference to the England score. Three separatist parties rule the constituent nations of the UK. It is striking that the editor gives no sense of being aware or even caring.
Dr Robert M Crawford, Largs, Ayrshire
Age is but a proportion
Could someone please reassure poor Nicholas Lezard (Down and Out, 19 June)? He is not ageing rapidly; mathematically, he is actually ageing more slowly than a much younger version of himself. A year as a proportion of 60 years spent on this planet is a much smaller number than, say, one year for a ten-year-old.
Liz Sleight, Westerham, Kent
An airport by any other name
My good friend and collaborator the film director John Boorman told me of an amusing exchange he had with David Hockney when they were both carving out their careers in the 1970s.
“Hello, John. I’ve just seen a fascinating Danish film called Seventeen.”
“Is it any good?” enquired John.
“It’s twice as good as Fellini’s 8½,” Hockney replied.
While we are reflecting on the genius of Hockney, would it not be appropriate to rename Leeds-Bradford Airport after the man? With the passing of Hockney, Bradford has lost its greatest son since Frederick Delius.
Martyn Auty, West Yorkshire
Subjective tastes
What’s wrong with me? This month I had a great meal on a KM Malta plane (Silver Spoon, 19 June). Last month I had great fish and chips from our local pub, and the previous month terrible fish and chips from our local chippie (29 May). Last year I had a great lunch at the British Museum (22 May). Or is there something wrong with you?
John Goldingay, Oxford
Football crazy, Hunter mad
Thank god Hunter Davies has moved his office downstairs, as The Fan makes my subscription worth it. If you can make it permanent after the World Cup ends, I would love it. I think the one thing the NS is missing is a sports correspondent. Just make sure he doesn’t cover any cricket, or Lezard will be out of a job.
Babs Mundye, Birmingham
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[Further reading: Letter of the week: The great blame game]
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