Fighting the good fight

Amidst all the talk surrounding the Labour leadership contest about the need for the party to be "electable" (whatever compromises that involves), it's refreshing to read about Bernie and Larry Sanders, brothers who are prepared to put principles first.

As the local Green Party candidate here (Oxford West and Abingdon), having grown disillusioned with Labour, Larry got my vote in May's election. He may have lost, but he's right in saying there was "an intrinsic value in the Green Party standing" - the party increased its share of the vote and raised its profile nationally.

There's a similar value in his younger brother's challenge to Hillary Clinton for the Democrat nomination for the US presidential elections of next year. Larry has commented: "The things we are talking about are not very left-wing: having a proper health service, having enough money to eat, to heat your home". It's a sorry state of affairs indeed when even such modest objectives as these are seen as somehow radical and dangerous - but it's vital that people like Bernie have the courage and determination to keep on reiterating them.