Like Clement Attlee, Keir Starmer must rise to the occasion | Letters
Martin Kettle rightly says Aneurin Bevan is the one politician other than Clement Attlee whom Labour leaders regularly invoke (Critics say Starmer is no Attlee – and they’re right.Labour must look to the future, not the past, 31 July).Keir Starmer has drawn on Harold Wilson for inspiration, but more pertinent to Kettle’s argument is David Lammy claiming a role model in Ernest Bevin.Made minister of labour in 1940 and foreign secretary in 1945, Ernie Bevin dominated the decade.Bevin sought a continued US military presence in Europe but had no illusions about the “special relationship”.
The 1956 Suez crisis was a calamitous reality check, confirming the White House’s prioritising of US self-interest above any presumed obligation to an ally, however close.Larry Elliott’s pessimism over Trump’s trade deal with Europe is understandable (This trade deal is the EU’s Suez moment – its subservience to Trump is on show for all to see, 31 July), but the EU can take heart from how France responded to the United States torpedoing its joint effort with the UK to regain control of the Suez canal: a renewed commitment to pan-European economic collaboration saw the swift confirmation of a six-nation common market, and a determination that French foreign policy would never again be subject to transatlantic pressure saw the Fourth and then the Fifth Republic develop its own advanced weaponry, both conventional and nuclear.Had Attlee, not Eden, been prime minister in 1956, we can be certain that he would never have sanctioned collusion with France and Israel to invade Egypt, and then repeatedly denied having done so.Attlee’s greatest quality wasn’t succinctness – it was integrity.Adrian SmithEmeritus professor of modern history, University of Southampton I do not feel Martin Kettle is entirely fair or correct to say that Clement Attlee, on becoming prime minister, “pulled Britain out of India as fast as he could”.
Attlee had been closely involved in India for more than 20 years, going back to the Simon commission, which had been established in 1927, specifically to consider the possibility of Indian independence and self-rule.As an MP and a member of the commission, Attlee visited India several times before the war (no mean feat in those days), understood the issues and knew the leaders of the political parties and factions.He did not underestimate the problems that independence might bring (although certainly not the violence and bloodshed), noting that partition would “necessarily leave minorities in both states” but emphasising that his Labour government was “in earnest in seeking to implement the promises made by Britain”.Eighty years on, another Labour prime minister now faces similar challenges over Palestine.I am sure Keir Starmer, like his distinguished predecessor, will rise to the occasion.
Robert EvansFormer chair of the south Asia delegation, European parliament Martin Kettle’s interesting article on Clement Attlee referred to his wife driving him to Buckingham Palace to meet King George VI on his historic 1945 victory over Churchill.Mrs Attlee was apparently a notoriously bad driver.My late father told me Mrs Attlee once collided with his car when driving the prime minister on a foggy night in London.Fortunately, no one was injured.Robin ArnfieldVancouver, Canada Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
How to make perfect fresh tomato pasta – recipe | Felicity Cloake's How to make the perfect …
“How many versions of fresh tomato sauce can there be?” Catherine, the generous winner of a charity auction to help me with the research for this column, asks when I tell her what recipe we’ll be making. On the contrary, I tell her, I’ve had my work cut out to narrow the selection here down to a mere seven, not least because the simpler the dish, the more argument there is over how it should be prepared, especially in a place as passionate about its food as Italy.Happily, I’ll have a lot of assistance, because Catherine has raised yet more money for Hospitality Rides (a fundraising initiative for two very worthy industry charities, Only a Pavement Away and the Licensed Trade Charity), by selling tickets to get other people to do my job for me, effectively. In an attempt to sweeten the deal, I tell my assembled minions (all hospitality professionals, though none, sadly, Italian chefs) that, according to Emiko Davies, this raw sauce is “quite possibly the best way to enjoy really good, ripe summer tomatoes – as well as making the most of spending as little time in front of a hot stove as possible”. Then I make them chop an awful lot of tomatoes in the service of perfection
The Greyhound, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire: ‘An oligarch’s saloon bar teetering on the edge of chintz’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants
Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire is heroically lovely, but it does have about it a heavy whiff of the Hot Fuzz. It’s a market town with a nearby model village, while the “best things to do” section on TripAdvisor highlights the cemetery or a trip to the former residence of writer GK Chesterton. If all that fails to thrill, you could just go for lunch at the pub – although be aware that the Greyhound isn’t anything as simple as a plain old gastropub. Heck no, that would be something completely different: more shabbily chic, more carbohydrates on the menu, fewer staff calling you “Madam” while you’re en route to the loo and not even a hint of white peach granita on your burrata starter.The Guardian’s journalism is independent
What? They’re doing raves in the morning now? With coffee? At a cafe?
Daisy Dumas road tests a coffee rave in Sydney where there’s no alcohol and people dance all morning … soberGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailThe only ways I know to rave are festival-style or in the buzzed wee hours – the time between pubs shutting and trains starting. This means I’ve never walked into a cafe, fresh-faced and sober at 9am, with the intention of raving.But this is 2025, not the late 1990s, and people are possibly more questioning of the cost of partying on their bodies than they once were. So, coffee raves have become a thing.They’re all over the world and come in many shapes and sizes, tending towards the bijou
What to drink with seafood? Albariño is its natural companion | Hannah Crosbie on drinks
It’s World Albariño Day today – 1 August. I’ve got a soft spot for arbitrary wine holidays, so I’m marking the occasion by using it as an excuse to spend the weekend guzzling one of my favourite white wines. I’ve given you notice (sort of), so off you go to your nearest independent or supermarket to pick up something racy and saline.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link
Helen Goh’s recipe for black forest crepe cake | The sweet spot
This is a take on the classic black forest gateau, with layers of delicate chocolate crepes, silky white chocolate cream and sour cherry jam. (Use a good-quality store-bought jam if making your own is a step too far.) All the components can be made ahead of time, ready to be assembled, but be aware that the finished cake needs to be refrigerated for at least three hours, and preferably overnight.You can make the jam up to five days in advance. Store, covered, in the fridge
I tried 17 rice cookers to find the best model in the US: here are my favorites
The most important function of a rice cooker is to make delicious rice, from jasmine to brown and sushi. Our expert found the best ones that are designed to lastWhy the humble rice cooker might be the only appliance you need in your kitchenThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Not a day goes by where I don’t cook and eat rice
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