Letter: Labour's challenge: to win power and keep faith with the poor
Celebrate diversity
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: I would make two points on new Labour and equality ("Left behind", 25 April).
Labour believes in equality of opportunity, evidenced by our plans to prioritise training and education, to protect employment rights, to tackle homelessness and poverty, and to encourage business and enterprise to invest and think long-term. But Labour has never believed in equality of outcome, where everyone ends up the same. Socialism celebrates diversity, not conformity.
Secondly, the way to improve equality of opportunity is to create growth in the economy, smash the vested interests which hamper individual advancement, and to reward hard work, not redistribute wealth through direct taxes to pay for increased benefits. Unemployment must be tackled at its source: through investment in skills and new technology, not ameliorated by an ever-expanding welfare bill. Increased government spending on welfare payments is a sign of economic failure, not a totem of success.
Paul Richards
London W6
The writer is prospective Labour parliamentary candidate for Billericay
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments