We must recognise human rights in maternity care

We at the Birthrights charity, welcome the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation report led by Baroness Amos, which calls for urgent, systemic change to maternity services (“We must appoint a maternity commissioner, or risk the deaths of hundreds more mothers and babies”, 28 June). 

We stand in solidarity with the women and birthing people whose experiences serve as evidence of this broken system, and with the healthcare professionals who have spent decades raising the alarm. We agree with Baroness Amos’s conclusions that there is: systemic racism and other forms of discrimination and inequity across the maternity system; the failure to listen to women and birthing people; and the need for positive workforce cultures to replace toxic ones are all critical safety issues that need to be tackled immediately.

However, we are disappointed that the report fails to recognise these concerns as fundamental human rights violations, not just clinical failings. Safety is impossible without respect for human rights. Any lasting solution must embed a human rights framework  to uphold women’s and birthing people’s rights to safety, dignity, autonomy, choice and equity.

Laura Mullarkey, Legal lead, birthrights.org.uk, Coventry

Wes Streeting rightly criticises senior NHS managers who refused to take part in the Ockendon review (“The hardest thing to change in the NHS is its culture”, 28 June). The remedy would have been to make it a statutory inquiry. That would have given Donna Ockendon the powers of the high court to compel the production of documents and witness testimony. Anyone refusing to comply could have been held in contempt of court. This should be a lesson for any government that is serious about accountability.

Dave Pollard Leicester

Your leader (“The Observer view: Burnham’s No 11”, 28 June) misjudges the political moment. It assumes that business and financial interests are entitled to a veto over public policy.

There is another group, outside Andy Burnham’s new administration, or even the Labour party, who are also suspicious of business and finance – voters . Even with Covid, Brexit and Donald Trump’s economic vandalism, UK GDP has risen by a modest 12.6% in the past decade. Yet last year’s UK Living Standards Review by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research found that “stagnation in real income growth in the last 15 years has caused UK living standards to plummet”; and that “welfare” payments have covered the cost of essentials in only two of the past 14 years.

Governments since Margaret Thatcher have all cleaved to the doctrine to put business interests before those of their voters. This kowtowing to business and finance has run the country into the ground. If Burnham’s government doesn’t  put ordinary people’s interests before those of business and finance, it will soon be too late.

Martin Hancock Buxton, Derbyshire

As a former civil servant at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, I had the privilege of being present in the packed Durbar Court for David Miliband’s inaugural address to staff following his appointment as foreign secretary in 2007 (“David Miliband being considered for senior job in Burnham cabinet”, 27 June). Nearly 20 years later, I still remember being struck by his ability to deliver an intellectually stimulating speech on foreign policy entirely without notes.

What impressed many of us was not simply his eloquence but the optimism underpinning his vision of Britain’s role in what he memorably described as “a crowded, dangerous, beautiful world”. He argued that foreign policy should be driven by the belief that progress is possible through cooperation, diplomacy and international engagement rather than by fatalism or narrow partisanship.

Several aspects of that speech remain remarkably relevant today. His insistence that lasting security depends on a rules-based international order, in which national security is strengthened alongside, rather than at the expense of others, now seems almost prescient. Equally memorable was his argument that military intervention, where unavoidable, must be followed by what he later termed a “civilian surge” of diplomacy, institution-building and economic development.

Whether or not one agreed with every aspect of his programme, it was refreshing to hear a foreign secretary articulate a principled and hopeful vision rather than merely respond to the crises of the day. At a time when foreign policy is increasingly shaped by short-term crises and transactional politics, Miliband’s internationalist vision deserves to be remembered.

Dr Reinhard Tenberg Little Shelford, Cambridge

I would not support David Miliband should he return to UK politics. When things didn’t go his way, he bailed out and left for a career in America. Desperate as this Labour party is for someone with his experience and expertise, always remember, Mr Burnham, a leopard doesn’t change its spots.

Nicholas Smith North Finchley, London

Simon Barnes rightly argues that the current penalty shootout system is unfair (“Is it time to blow the whistle on the penalty shootout?”, 27 June),  quoting Sepp Blatter; “Football is a team game and penalties is not a team.” They can easily become a team effort by requiring every outfield player to take a penalty (in ascending numerical shirt number order). If the scores remain equal after 10 penalties per team, the process would simply be repeated until one team wins. This places the emphasis on the team.

Tony Leather South Shields, Tyne and Wear 

On air conditioning (The Sensemaker, “Extreme heat has made air-con a political hot topic”, 26 June): humans are designed to perspire to regulate body temperature. Perspiration takes place more quickly in moving air. Rather than cooling buildings in the UK, we could install lots of silent, large-diameter ceiling fans. They use a tiny amount of electricity and, when people leave the building, they are already adjusted to the ambient temperatures, so are less likely to need air conditioning in their cars as well.

Tim Pyne, Director, Footprint+, Shoreditch, London

I was left feeling I could never again complain about the weather being too cold after having suffered the unprecedented heatwave here in Canada in late June 2021, described by meteorologists as a “stalling dome” of high heat, that resulted in 619 confirmed heat-related deaths in British Columbia alone. And I didn’t have a proper air conditioner back then.

That winter, most of the province, including south-western BC, suffered some unprecedented cold days during the following January, which was described by meteorologists as a “stalling dome” of freezing cold.

I doubt those extremes were just coincidental; rather, they are basically due to climate change via human-caused global warming. 

Frank Sterle Jr BC, Canada

Forty years ago, as a mature student, aged 27, I embarked on an education degree (The minutes: “Going to uni doesn’t guarantee high wages”, (print only), 8 June). This cost me nothing. I enjoyed a career to be proud of – became a headteacher, paid my taxes, worked with inspirational staff and, importantly, contributed to the learning of great children. I don’t regret a minute, but feel today’s students have a much rougher deal.

Sally Bates Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire

I was interested to read Fiona Maddocks’ comments about the seating at Snape Maltings Concert Hall (“Aldeburgh festival – there’s something in sea air”, 2 June). When I last visited Snape, I too was dismayed to find the seating in need of maintenance, to an extent that my enjoyment of the performance was affected. 

The seating was designed using anthropometric data, collected every five years by the London County Council Architects Department, ranging from school children to adults.  The choice of woven cane seating was made to emulate that used in Wagner Bayreuth opera house. Allowance was made for necessary maintenance: both seats and backs were fitted with removable cane panels, permitting replacement of those worn or damaged.

The use of woven cane is directly involved in the production of Snape Malting’s beautiful and unique acoustics. I hope that should any redesign take place, this unique sound will be recognised and remain unaltered.

David Weaver Waverley, Surrey

Willie Rushton’s light and bitter (Letters, “Naughty nightcap”, 28 June). Now that’s a great drink from the past. If the draught bitter was a bit iffy, a light ale would soon liven it up. You’d get a pull of bitter, easily 2/3rds of a pint, plus a 1/2 pint bottle of ale – all for the same price as a straight pint!

Michael Fuller Bedford

Photograph by Alamy