Your letters: Debate on politics and immigration, plus a 2017 air ambulance tribute

PICTURE FROM THE PAST: Midlands Air Ambulance Charity chief executive Hanna Sebright (left) and air crew supervisor Karen Baker smile alongside a striking new sculpture in March 2017. Created by artist Richard Thornton to mark the charity’s 25th anniversary, the stainless steel artwork was unveiled at the Roadchef Norton Canes services on the M6 Toll. The monument stands as a lasting tribute to a quarter-century of vital rapid-response missions delivered across the region by the charity's dedicated crew members and supporters. | Express & Star archive

placeholder image — PICTURE FROM THE PAST: Midlands Air Ambulance Charity chief executive Hanna Sebright (left) and air crew supervisor Karen Baker smile alongside a striking new sculpture in March 2017. Created by artist Richard Thornton to mark the charity’s 25th anniversary, the stainless steel artwork was unveiled at the Roadchef Norton Canes services on the M6 Toll. The monument stands as a lasting tribute to a quarter-century of vital rapid-response missions delivered across the region by the charity's dedicated crew members and supporters. | Express & Star archive

Letters include debate over whether Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were truly socialist, questions over Keir Starmer’s popularity, views on immigration policy and praise for male voice choir

Blair and Brown not socialists

My first reaction on reading Chris Smith's letter (2 September) was a quiet chuckle at the idea of any action of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown or Keir Starmer constituting "socialism". None of these gentlemen was a socialist, nor is Andy Burnham. As for the Miliband family, the only one I can imagine as a socialist prime minister is Ralph. It's true that Prof. Miliband labours under the disadvantage of being dead, but I'm sure he'd be a better bet than either of his sons.

Let me now turn to the specific examples mentioned by Chris. Liam Byrne's note was probably the last example of a fine light-hearted tradition of an outgoing Chancellor of the Exchequer leaving a jokey note for his successor. After the reprehensible behaviour of the Tory Cameron and his Lib Dem accomplice Clegg in pretending to take Byrne's comment about the parlous state of the economy seriously, I doubt if any future Chancellor will trust his/her successor.

The other examples Chris gives are actually evidence for the Blair/Brown administration having been thoroughly capitalist. The private finance initiative scheme was the continuation under another name of a scam begun by the Major government, and the failure to get rid of it was trenchantly criticised by the left at the time.

Turning to the 2008 crash, this was a global financial disaster. I will presume that Chris knows what "global" means. Its immediate cause was the behaviour of some American banks in what is euphemistically called "sub-prime lending" - giving loans to people unlikely to be able to repay them. The only unusual thing about the United Kingdom is that blame was somehow attached not to the dodgy financiers who caused the disaster but to the politicians who (wrongly in my opinion) bailed them out.

I despise Blair and Brown, but their actions were driven throughout by their wish to keep the capitalist racket running. Nothing they did had anything to do with socialism.

Alan Harrison, Bloxwich

Where is the new PM’s bounce?

Borrowing an expression from the financial markets, given the lack of enthusiasm shown by some long-standing Labour voters is the so-called 'Burnham bounce' beginning to look more like a 'dead cat bounce'?

John Costello, Wolverhampton

Point them in French direction

'Name and address supplied', aka anonymous (5 September), mocks the Reform Party plan, the 'fag-packet plan', to return illegal migrants to France. The uniparty does not even seem to have a fag packet between them - and their plans are written in disappearing ink. He says the Royal Navy will need a harbour pilot, etc. The answer is to drop illegal returnees in pedalos, with a large rubber boat behind, a mile offshore, and point them in the direction of the French coast.

Just a reminder that anonymous letters are not worth the paper they are written on.

Chris Smith, Midlands Horsehay

Male voice choir wonderful asset

Until his recent death, my brother, Roland Oliver, was a member of Shrewsbury Male Voice Choir, who sang at his funeral service. Their beautiful voices made the service a truly memorable occasion. The choir is a wonderful Shropshire asset, which I hope continues to be used and well supported.

Graham Oliver, Shropshire

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