The Conservatives must stop Nigel Farage

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Unless sane Tories stand up and fight, the bandwagon will become irresistible (AFP/Getty)

I am finding it desperately difficult to keep up with the campaign to elect Nigel Farage leader of the Tories in opposition late next year. No sooner than I cobble together my thoughts after Friday’s edition, I see George Osborne, like me, saying it is possible.

Then today, I read the splendid article from Sean O’Grady about a potential Farage victory, which on face value appears compelling. However, we are ignoring some important points. Firstly, we are now moving into the territory labelled “self-fulfilling prophecy” – and I am certain many of us know the outcome.

Next, many people appear to have overlooked the power of the right-wing media. For example, if well-known figures back Sir Keir Starmer – Rishi Sunak is hardly popular – in next year’s general election, the likelihood of a Conservative wipeout is nearly assured. Remember, if I’ve worked it out so have they. Then all they need do is support the Farage leadership bid. The wheels are moving, momentum increasing; unless sane Tories stand up and fight, the bandwagon will become irresistible.

Robert Boston

Kent

Scotland may not be as important to a Labour victory as it suspects

Much has been written about the importance of Scotland in delivering a Labour victory in the forthcoming Westminster general election, whenever that may be.

It should however be noted that there have been very, very few occasions post-1945 when Scottish seats have had an impact on Labour winning a general election. This is understandable in that there are only currently 59 constituencies in Scotland out of a total of 650 in the UK as a whole.

Out of the 21 general elections since 1945, there have only ever been two elections, Harold Wilson’s victories in 1964 and February 1974, when the return of Labour MPs in Scotland had an impact when it came to delivering a Labour government.

When it comes to the general election, the impact of Scottish voters on the outcome should not be overexaggerated.

Alex Orr

Edinburgh

The solution to affordable housing isn’t to destroy our countryside

I see Labour’s Rachel Reeves is pledging some form of compensation to those affected by having the huge and many planned housing developments blight their lives. As I live in the so-called Oxford/London/Cambridge triangle, which is apparently the top area scheduled to be built over, it seems that could include me.

The beauty of the countryside will be wiped out, and what breaks my heart is the inevitable increased impact on our suffering wildlife, which will be further depleted, forced out and killed. Who will compensate them?

The term “nimby” is an insult, throwing scorn on anyone who is appalled by the concreting over of our lovely countryside. Both Labour and the Tories seem hellbent on this destruction, which already, under the Tories, is everywhere. Why has nobody got the imagination to revitalise our towns by turning boarded-up shops, etc, into affordable flats and houses?

Penny Little

Oxfordshire

A Labour government may be an improvement – but it won’t magically fix things

John Rentoul on Sunday fears Rachel Reeves’s potential new role as chancellor within a Labour government will inevitably force her (under the current financial maelstrom) to increase some taxes or face the fact that a new Labour government could merely end up being a “more competent version of a Tory government”.

There is no doubt in many quarters that a fresh new Labour government would somehow magically take the UK back to those sunny uplands, right all the wrongs and reline our wallets.

Clearly, there are some who expect Sir Kier Starmer and his team will have a huge budget (from wherever) and a clear and incisive understanding of all our needs and while he’s at it keep his eye on global warming too.

While I wouldn’t wish to blow any trumpets for Tory values or Rishi Sunak’s financial abilities or leadership skills, does anyone really imagine that he’d have not sorted a Brexit deal, found a solution to the migrant crisis, rebuilt the NHS, found an answer to nutrient neutrality problems, and pushed ahead with HS2 if he could simply afford it to save his skin?

Expectations that a Starmer regime will be able to flip everything around are beyond unrealistic unless they find another magic money tree.

The pressure on Sir Kier to somehow be a political and social messiah must keep him and Rachel Reeves awake at night. Surely, as both George Osborne and John McDonnell have noted, our problem is we’re broke and in debt up to our eyeballs!

Crossing our fingers and intoning, like Dorothy, “there’s no place like home” isn’t going to take us back to better days. Starmer knows it. Rachel Reeves knows it. We all need to face reality and accept that this crisis won’t disappear with the Tories. Unless we do, a new Labour regime will find its approval ratings fall off a cliff in a very short time.

Steve Mackinder

Denver