I can relate fully to the sentiments expressed by Megan Gibson (World View, 26 September). Like her, I was not born in this country; I came here as an EU citizen in 1978, went through years of visa paperwork – even though I had the right to live and work here under freedom of movement – and, eventually, after I had gained indefinite leave to remain, applied for naturalisation and obtained my UK passport in 1996. I have lived here most of my adult life. I have worked here; I pay tax here; my whole life is here.
The rhetoric calling into question whether migrants – however they arrived in the UK and whatever status they have – should have a right to live here is unsettling. My friends tell me “this won’t affect you”, “you’ve got a passport” and “anyway, they are not after people who look and sound like you”. But that is no comfort at all. So long as my neighbour is not safe to live the life they wish to live, none of us are safe. Human rights are indivisible.
I, for one, am living with a constant sense of not being wanted here, even though I have given my whole career to this country, mostly in public service.
Martina Weitsch, York
Term limits
I couldn’t agree more with Andrew Marr (Politics, 3 October). Long-lasting societal change takes time and patience and there will be setbacks along the way. Unfortunately, we are living through the “TikTok-ification” of politics, where attention spans are short and the mainstream media portrays a country in continual crisis that can only be “cured” by changing the captain of the ship (irrespective of whether it’s Tory or a Labour vessel). This leads to a position where we swap leaders so frequently that none of them truly has time to get anything meaningful done. On that basis Andy Burnham should be careful what he wishes for.
Jeff Howells, London SE25
Andrew Marr flippantly mentions “in the trade we love it” at the end of his piece on the turmoil of political short-termism. That is, of course, precisely the point. Constant 24-hour news coverage, millions of words written and videos streamed, hundreds of thousands of jobs relying on making drama out of politics. In this attention economy, long-term economic planning and infrastructure development isn’t sexy or interesting, and creating content about it doesn’t generate income. The sooner we are honest about that, and stop adding to the problem by creating and fuelling reactionary ragebait, the sooner we can address it.
Daniel Fryd, Leyton
Andrew Marr ponders whether changing the electoral cycle to a ten-year one might correct our five-yearly reversal of decisions made in the previous five years. But isn’t the solution obvious? Proportional representation: no single party gets a majority, but a parliamentary majority is given by the majority of the electorate choosing parties that have to work together and find consensus. For how long do we have to put up with an outdated electoral system that has little democratic value?
Soren Upton Sjolin, Bury St Edmunds
Andrew Marr rightly describes how Britain’s political seesaw prevents us from making long-term decisions. But he is wrong to suggest that we can do nothing about it, because it is a direct function of our first past-the-post electoral system. In countries with proportional electoral systems, coalition agreements remove the more extreme policies from the platforms of individual parties, and encourage them to seek common ground, where long-term thinking is possible. Last year the Labour conference voted for electoral reform, and the 150-plus members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Elections has published a detailed proposal of how we might move towards this.
Last year, Labour won a historic parliamentary majority with the votes of less than 21 per cent of the electorate (34 per cent on a 60 per cent turnout). In 2029 we could see Reform repeat the trick. It is not too late to choose something more like a proper democracy.
Stephen McNair, Coltishall, Norfolk
Graphic detail
Readers are justly celebrating aspects of the New Statesman but haven’t highlighted the exceptional quality of many of the graphics in recent issues. Take last week’s magazine (3 October): a powerfully evocative, deeply moving cover image of a child’s life and fate in Gaza, along with a delightfully provocative cartoon of Labour politicians in the jaws or gullet of a voracious Farage (The Sketch, 3 October). Memorable graphics accompanying memorable prose.
Colin Richards, Spark Bridge, Cumbria
Which came first?
I much enjoyed Michael Morpurgo’s life-affirming piece. However, the word “lurruping” is not solely of his invention. “Larruper” was used as a nickname for Max Baer, the World Heavyweight Champion in 1934. He was called the “Livermore Larruper” as he hailed from that California town and was famous for giving his opponents a good larruping, or thrashing.
Stephen Deutsch, Blandford Forum
Doesn’t add up
Both Bill Myers (Correspondence, 26 September) and Geva Hill (Correspondence, 3 October) incorrectly criticise the single-transferrable vote (STV) for not counting second preferences from supporters of “the runner-up”. This is true if only one seat is to be filled, but that is the alternative transferrable vote (ATV). STV proper uses multi-member constituencies and employs quotas (eg, if there are five seats to be filled, 20 per cent of the vote secures election). After the first round, as with ATV, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and votes redistributed. But, crucially, “excess” votes for candidates who have more than 20 per cent are also redistributed proportionately according to second preferences. Thus, assuming 100 electors and five seats, if one candidate gets 40 votes in the first round, half of each of those votes is redistributed. The process continues until enough candidates reach the quota. Mathematically this cannot happen until all the less popular candidates have been eliminated. Consequently, there can be no runner-up whose supporters’ second or subsequent preferences have not been considered for redistribution. This allows every vote to work hard, minimising “wasted” votes at both ends of the popularity spectrum, and makes STV superior to ATV. Its advantage over more exactly proportional “list” systems – shifting power from party machines to the electorate – probably explains why incumbent parties don’t like it.
Alan Parker, Shirley, Croydon
Back to British basics
Lucy Powell writes in her Diary (26 September) that having entered the deputy leadership contest she must “build a website, assemble a campaign team, register a company, write statements and open a bank account”. I can only wonder if this Americanisation of our politics can really be justified. How about a quick paper vote by the Parliamentary Labour Party who really know the candidates? This would save a lot of time and much needed money as well as shielding the party from airing its divisions in public.
Leigh Hatts, London SE1
Meals on wheels
Maybe Finn McRedmond’s Hibernian gloom (Silver Spoon, 3 October) would lift if she made an effort to leave London and explored other food delights in Britain.
Janet Mansfield, Aspatria, Cumbria
Last chance Sassoon
Reading Will Lloyd’s article on Gore Vidal and his habit of goading his targets (The New Society, 3 October) reminded me of one interview where he came off second best. Sacha Baron Cohen’s Ali G interviewed him, posing his usual vacuous questions including one in which he claimed that not only was Vidal a historian but also a world-famous hairstylist. Vidal appeared to take the whole farcical interview at face value, saying afterwards British television was over. I pity the hapless aide who had to then gently explain to him the whole thing was a set-up.
Andrew Fraser, Bath
Citroëns are no lemons
Pippa Bailey’s father’s car (Deleted Scenes, 3 October) did well, in daily use, getting to 27. I have two Citroën Berlingos – a 2005 (on 140,000 miles) and a 2006 – both still going strong. At 71, I hope to keep them chugging along for a good few years yet. You really don’t need all this newfangled stuff. I have wondered for years why, when in a car, you desperately need to know what the temperature is outside. What was wrong with window-winders? Or semaphore indicators?
Martin Skerritt, Dersingham, Norfolk
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This article appears in the 08 Oct 2025 issue of the New Statesman, The truth about small boats