Congratulations Helen Toft and the Green Party in Wyke!

My daughter who votes Green thinks like me that the mainstream media are far too preoccupied with the Tory party’s leadership race and their inner divisions.

Like millions of Britons we couldn’t give a hoot about their problems: in reality we want rid of these destructive, right wing Tories altogether and the election of a government that is serious about addressing the cost of living crisis.

The current polls indicate a hung parliament so that increases the opportunity for a ‘progressive government’- one fusing the skills and determination of the Greens, Lib Dems, the Labour Party, Plaid Cymru and the SNP. To enable that at a general election will require strategic co-operation between the various opposition parties (for example standing down tribal candidates in Bristol West and the Isle of Wight to give the Greens a clear run to win those constituencies) and the sort of intelligent tactical voting reflecting local realities, which proved so successful in Wakefield and Tiverton.

It will additionally require Starmer-led Labour to be less hostile to rebuilding the UK’s future links with the EU (Brexit was the most intellectually challenged decision in Britain’s long history), an affirmation of the necessity of electoral reform, including a fully elected Second Chamber and the formulation of a written constitution to stop Tory meddling with Parliament and democracy. These all require a degree of working together to defeat the common enemy, which hasn’t always been apparent in our tribal, adversarial politics. Tribalism only guarantees another Tory administration under First Past the Post. Where there’s a political will, there’s a way.

Richard Denton-White

Mill Lane, Charminster