Sir Keir Starmer

• AS an educator, Labour Party member, and activist in his constituency, I was horrified to read Sir Keir Starmer’s article in the Mail on Sunday, doing the rounds on social media, in which he backed the Tory government’s reckless plans to enforce schools to return to face-to-face teaching in September.

Not having anything to say on health and safety considerations, he took a harder line than the Tories. He stated it must happen with “…no ifs, no buts, no equivocation”.

I read this with abject horror.

It’s sad to see Labour revert to the Tony Blair years of condemning the judgment of workers and unions, going against the very foundations and purpose of our party.

However I take comfort in the fact that it will be the teachers and concerned parents who will decide on whether their school is safe to go back to or not, physically, despite the constant threats and bullying from both major parties’ leaderships.

And I also have every faith all educators will continue their monumental effort to ensure no child or student misses out because of keeping themselves, their family, and the general population, healthy and safe during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

JULIAN HOUGH
Address supplied