Many congratulations to local Finchley resident Frances Crook and the organisation she leads, the Howard League for Penal Reform, who won their High Court challenge and defeated Tory Justice Secretary Chris Grayling by overturning his illiberal ban on sending books to prisoners.
The court recognised what the Government failed to: that access to books can rehabilitate, educate and enrich. We can only hope that the local Barnet Tory council in turn has a rethink in the new year on their own wrong-headed proposals, and so-called consultation, on the future of our local libraries. We know libraries are at the heart of our local communities. Our local libraries need our support so that we can continue to borrow books, study and use these community spaces. Labour supports the modernisation of the library service and opposes the cuts. On behalf of everyone now fighting to save our local libraries from closure, including those at East Finchley, Childs Hill and Golders Green, be under no illusion that Labour will work with and support all sections of our community to fight this threat to our libraries.
Sarah Sackman
Labour MP candidate for Finchley and Golders Green
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