LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Paying £5k to network

I HAVE just seen on the Rother Valley Labour Party constituency social media page a photograph of a leading local Labour politician and businessman posing alongside Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader, captioned with a long-winded self-congratulatory post about how they had attended this event in London to ensure that Rother Valley was “heard on the national stage”.

A sign behind their heads on the photo said “Rose Network”. Intrigued, a quick Google search showed that if I paid £5,000 a year, I could also have attended this Rose Network event and said “hi” to Sir Keir and Angela Rayner alongside the other rich Labour donors, bankers and socialites.

My question is, can locals in Rother Valley and Rotherham only be heard by the national Labour leaders if we have cash for access? Do we need rich businessmen to donate more than what I get in six months pension to speak on my behalf at an exclusive event? Maybe this is why Labour lost the last election, because they no longer listen to the working people around here, just their rich supporters in swanky events in London.

If Starmer really wants to listen to Rotherham residents, he should come here and speak with me. But I will not pay £5,000 for the privilege.

Mr A A Fletcher, Rother Valley Resident