32 Tuesday December 21 2021 | the times
Letters to the Editor
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1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GFSir, In his resignation letter to Boris
Johnson, Lord Frost claimed that they
had “always shared the same approach
on Brexit”. Really? When he was chief
executive of the Scotch Whisky
Association, just before the 2016
referendum, David Frost, as he was at
the time, said it was in the UK’s
interest “to be part of the biggest
possible market with the fewest
possible barriers”.
He continued: “The European single
market gives us that. The European
free trade agreements give us that.
Why would we want to depart
from that?”
Why indeed.
David Woodhead
Leatherhead, SurreySir, Lord Frost’s departure from
government seems to have been taken
widely to be a further blow to the
Johnson government. On the contrary,
the departure of a Brexit negotiator
whose relentlessly aggressive and
negative positioning on all the issues in
play with the European Union,
which seriously damaged this
country’s image in Europe, can only
be a blessing.
It may also turn out to be the case
that the dogmatically libertarian
positions on Covid restrictions adoptedby Lord Frost and some of his Tory
colleagues have been fundamentally
mistaken. Our beleaguered prime
minister may yet emerge with
some credit.
Peter Wood
Penrith, CumbriaSir, We have been badly governed by
Labour and Conservative
administrations since 2001 when the
“presidential system” was introduced
by Tony Blair, to the detriment of
cabinet government. The number
attending cabinet has grown ever
larger and the leaking of cabinet
meetings ever greater.
Boris Johnson’s decision to restore
the responsibilities and authority of
the foreign secretary is a welcome first
step towards better governance. Liz
Truss is merely resuming powers that
were wielded by former foreign
secretaries, adjusted to the fact that we
are no longer in the EU.
I believe I was the last foreign
secretary to have overall control of
foreign policy, overseas aid and EU
policy. The next step should be to
consolidate power in more secretaries
of state and slash the size of the
cabinet.
Lord Owen
House of LordsRole of immigrants
Sir, Your leading article (“Right to
work”, Dec 17) brings to mind the
internment of German and Austrian
refugees during 1940-41. Many were
of Jewish origin, were educated and
spoke perfect German. Later many
played a crucial part in the Allied
victory and the administration of
postwar Germany. Surely it is right to
speed up the employment of suitable
refugees in those parts of our
economy desperate for staff.
Peter Briess
London NW3Perpetual motion
Sir, Ben Macintyre reminds us of the
story of Galileo being forced to recant
his views, but muttering the truth to
himself as he did so (comment,
Dec 18; letters, Dec 20). I once spotted
an extremely bent and battered
Italian scooter propped against a wall,
and on one of the few rust-free
surfaces were painted those same
triumphant words: “E pur si muove!”
And yet it moves.
Alan Bird
Kendal, CumbriaCutting back
Sir, In response to your article saying
that scythes are traditionally
associated with death and the grim
reaper (“Scythes the new must-have
for green fingered”, Dec 18), perhaps a
more pleasing association would be
the scythe hands that came to cut the
hay meadows in the Yorkshire Dales.
Appropriately they are called “the
July barbers”.
Philip Lee
Grinton in Swaledale, N YorksPrint the legend
Sir, Embellishing or changing recalled
memories is exactly why Trevor
Lyttleton (letters, Dec 20) should
write his memoirs. I’ve written mine
— an absolute romp! So much more
interesting than the real thing and, of
course, I stand by every word.
Dr Peter Honey
WindsorCorrections and
clarifications
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Street, London SE1 9GF
Politically correct
Bash Street Kids
Sir, I was shocked to see that
characters from The Beano, my
favourite comic, have been renamed
(news, Dec 20). Yes, the names
weren’t very PC; however, I thought
the whole point of body positivity was
embracing who you are. In fact, Fatty
and Spotty were not ridiculed but
were well loved by their fellow
classmates. I myself have acne and I
wouldn’t mind if good friends called
me Spotty. It is part of accepting who
you are and being happy. If it was
thought that these nicknames
encouraged real children to bully
others, then it isn’t the fault of The
Beano, but a problem with education
and parenting.
Sigal Nachshen, age 13
London NW11
Sir, In light of the decision of the
publisher DC Thomson to change the
name of “Spotty” to “Scotty”, to avoid
causing offence, perhaps the Bash
Street Kids character known as
“Toots” should also benefit from the
wind of change — given that word’s
informal association with flatulence
and with snorting cocaine.
Peter Sergeant
Hathern, Lincs
Stuff of fantasy
Sir, Surely the organisations that are
refusing to use the term Quidditch to
describe their sport are missing a
trick (“Quidditch set to change name
in Rowling trans row”, Dec 20). By
their own process of reasoning, saying
that their brooms are magic makes
them so. I expect to see them leaving
behind their ridiculous earthbound
posturing and swooping among the
treetops with the swallows.
I, for one, am hugely grateful to
JK Rowling for her reasoned and
moderate support of women’s rights,
which are being eroded in the
interests of the transgender lobby.
I have never read one word of
transphobia uttered by this
outstanding woman who has done
such immense good in the world.
What a contrast to those bullies who
continue to victimise and harass her
with apparent impunity because she
refuses to fall in line and embrace
every one of their ideas.
Janet Mullender
Billericay, Essex
Resignation of Brexit minister over Covid
Sir, Lord Frost’s resignation as a
minister following his disagreement
with government policy (news, Dec
20), surely raises the question as to
whether he should continue to serve in
the House of Lords. His appointment
to the upper house was effectively “ex
officio”. Now that he no longer holds
office he should surely stand down as a
peer. There has been a long tradition
of ministers — particularly trade
ministers — being elevated to the
Lords. On leaving office such peers
must surely relinquish their seats.
Andrew Fraser
London SW19Sir, While critics have been attacking
Chris Whitty for giving advice to the
public, it seems that the presence of
Lord Frost has not been regarded as
being undemocratic — in spite of the
fact that he has not been elected and
announces that government policies
on taxation and Covid regulations are
not in agreement with his.
This man was chosen by the prime
minister to deal with Brexit issues and
to sort out the Northern Ireland
protocol that he negotiated. I suspect
he has now realised that he has made
a big mistake in the negotiations.
Lynn Jones
CardiffSir, Now it is apparent that business
meetings can take place in Downing
Street while drinking wine and eating
cheese (news, Dec 20), one’s mind
goes back to perhaps a more benign
era — the Seventies and Eighties —
when my father was a publican. In
those days workers of all descriptions
were often given to take a glass of
beer or wine in their lunch breaks, a
practice almost universally frowned
upon in this country today. Apart
from any overall improvement in the
gaiety of the nation, one sees the
immediate advantage for the
struggling hospitality sector if the
government’s example could be more
widely embraced.
Clive Clarke
Donisthorpe, LeicsSir, If Boris Johnson wishes to
convince disillusioned citizens that
his apologies are sincere and less
frivolous, I have a suggestion for him.
He should, live on television, deliver
an honest and serious speech worthyBusiness meeting
looks like a party
and respectful of both his office and
the people he represents, promising to
do better — after having a grown-up
haircut and straightening his tie.
Philip Bambury
Langton Long, Dorset.Sir, If meetings are characterised by
the presence of cheese, wine and a
spouse, and the absence of papers and
laptops, clearly I have been attending
the wrong sort of meetings during my
40-plus years of professional life.
Susan Orlik
BirminghamSir, The dictionary definition of
“populism” (Matthew Parris, Dec 18)
is “an approach that strives to appeal
to ordinary people”. In the opinion of
the elites, these people are clueless
and obviously shouldn’t be given the
vote. The elites don’t like the results if
they are different from their own
political beliefs but, unfortunately for
them, we live in a democracy. Perhaps
if they had taken populists’ concerns
seriously during the previous decade,
we wouldn’t now find ourselves in the
situation that Mr Parris describes.
Sarah Harden
Penrith, Cumbriafrom the times december 21, 1921CHRISTMAS
IN
THE SHOPS
Food off the menu
Sir, Councillors in Oxfordshire have an
easy solution to their vegan food issue
at official functions (news, Dec 20).
They need only to follow the lead of
Wiltshire council and stop providing
food at council meetings. Members
can then bring whatever they choose.
Wiltshire made the decision years ago
as it failed to see why taxpayers should
pay to feed councillors.
Ernie Clark
Wiltshire councilthetimes.co.uk/archiveCavalier attitude
Sir, Clare Foges writes about the swing
in the personality type of prime
ministers between star and steward
(Dec 20). As a Civil War re-enactor, I
prefer to think of it as between
Royalist and Roundhead. Although
we’ve only had the present Cavalier for
two years, the arrival of the next
Cromwell — given the probable choice
between Sunak and Starmer — seems
long overdue.
Tom Stubbs
Surbiton, SurreyChristmas shopping is now in full
swing, and there was evidence
everywhere yesterday that, however
scarce money may be, there is no
lack of it for the season of the year
when even the most careful spenders
“let themselves go” a little. From the
brave show which the turkey makes
in the poulterers’ windows it might
almost be imagined that there is a
glut of these birds but the price
remains firm at from 1s 8d to 1s 10d
per lb, the “cold nip” in the air
having strengthened the market.
Turkeys are perishable, and not
every firm has the necessary coldstorage in which to keep them. The
price may go down later in the week,
but there are no signs at present.
Turkey is the Christmas dinner of
many, but roast beef is still that of
the multitude and a visit to
Smithfield Market conveyed the idea
that the supply was sufficient to feed
the whole of England. There was
plenty of other meat as well as beef.
Yesterday’s supplies totalled 1,820
tons, an increase of nearly 600 tons
over the corresponding day last year,
and of the total over 200 tons were
poultry and game. At Covent
Garden, so far as fruit is concerned,
the Christmas rush is practically
over, supplies having already been
distributed to the retailers. There are
few cheap vegetables, however, and
in the market no hope was held out
that they would become cheaper, the
movement in prices being rather in
the reverse direction.
The buying of Christmas presents
appeared to be the aim of mostshoppers yesterday. There were
crowds everywhere, all earnestly
engaged on the same errand. If
people are spending their money
more readily than for months past,
they are at the same time spending it
more carefully than in years gone by.
They look for value for their money,
and are not prepared to buy unless
they feel that they are getting it. In
the toy bazaars the crowds were
unusually large, even for Christmas
week. Many of the schools have
broken up for the holidays, and in
accordance with time-honoured
custom the youngsters were taken to
see the shops. Many of the shops are
experiencing a real “boom”, which is
welcome after the slackness caused
by trade depression. With prices
from 25 to 40 per cent lower a
largely increased sale is necessary to
bring in the same sum as last year.Money’s too tight
Sir, It is all very well the government
asking retired teachers to step
forward and fill Covid gaps in
classrooms (news, Dec 20) — but will
ex-teachers take the risk of doing so?
And with what are schools expected
to pay supply rates of pay? As a
serving school governor, I can attest
that even the most tightly managed of
school budgets has never been under
such pressure and many are either
already in deficit or on the edge.
Edwin Strauss
Edgware, MiddxSigns of progress
Sir, I concur with John Wright’s
sentiment (“Strictly deserving”, letter,
Dec 20). Rose Ayling-Ellis’s triumph
would be well rewarded with a
damehood. However, I am confident
that to reflect her achievement she
would rather see sign language
appearing on the school syllabus.
Surely it should be something to be
considered, starting with children of
primary school age. If my five-year-
old grandson is anything to go by, it
would be well received, and he would
enjoy teaching me and his grandpa.
Deanne Clay
Shipston on Stour, WarksLetters to The Times must be exclusive
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