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Good afternoon,
Labour has scraped its way to victory in the Batley and Spen by-election by 323 votes. New MP Kim Leadbeater declared this morning that “the people of Batley and Spen have rejected division and voted for hope”, but as sketch writer Tom Peck puts it, “they didn’t reject division by much”.
MP and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell writes for i that there are important lessons for Keir Starmer in this result, and doesn’t mince his words on the leader’s performance so far:
“Keir, you are the leader of the opposition up against the most corrupt government and lying Prime Minister that this country has ever had. For God’s sake, show some anger.”
Meanwhile, local resident Emad Ahmed writes that while the political circus may be leaving town, Batley and Spen is still left with “crumbling services, low investment and a workforce enticed by opportunity elsewhere“.
Leadbeater wrote for us earlier this week about her tough decision to go into politics, and abuse on the campaign trail – read her piece here.
Today’s talking points
- A new statue of Diana, Princess of Wales was unveiled by her sons yesterday. Art critic Florence Hallett gives her verdict. Click here to read.
- There have been calls for the Government to stop releasing Covid case numbers. Behavioural scientist Professor Benjamin Voyer argues that the way they’re reported should evolve as the pandemic goes on. Click here to read.
More from our writers
- “From ‘clamping koala’ to ‘Ladies Delight’, sex manuals throughout history have taught us how to be better lovers.” Historian Kate Lister on a Norwegian public broadcaster’s guide to good sex. Click here to read.
- “‘It put us in a pressure cooker’: How no travel, sex-life shifts, and anxiety shaped relationships in lockdown.” Rachel Mantock speaks to couples about how the pandemic has affected their sex lives. Click here to read.
Views from elsewhere
- For the Guardian, Science Editor Ian Semple writes that the UK is the “petri dish” of the world when it comes to the Delta variant. Click here to read.
- For the Independent, Shaparak Khorsandi writes about her changing relationship with football, and why she feels able to celebrate England’s success this time round. Click here to read.
Readers’ corner
Diana Rhodes from Pembrokeshire wasn’t a fan of the Diana statue:
“I was so disappointed in the portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales. It would have been much nicer to see her portrayed sitting like a loving mother on a bench watching as the children played in the park around her instead of the stiff figure with a little girl holding her hand to her face almost pleading for Diana’s attention.
“For inspiration, they could have looked at the statue of Roy O Disney at the entrance of the Magic Kingdom in Florida, sitting on a bench quietly watching the children come in to enjoy a day at the park.”
And Bill Ridley from Kent comments on the by-election result:
“This would appear a particularly bad result for the Tories as, without George Galloway’s intervention, Labour would likely have increased it’s majority.”
i ask you
What did you think of the new statue of Princess Dia