It is a huge missed opportunity; Wandsworth borough council’s mega development at Nine Elms provides so little for local people, particularly housing (Penthouses and poor doors: how Europe’s ‘biggest regeneration project’ fell flat, 2 February). The irony is that in the early 20th century, Battersea borough council, Wandsworth’s predecessor in the area, was one of the pioneers of council housing built by its own workforce and available to local people at modest rents.
Michael Leigh
London
• I’m surprised that in elaborating on the use and derivation of “jab”, your article (Steven Poole’s word of the week, 4 February) did not mention the word that is more commonly used in Scotland. Here we have nothing as relatively gentle as “jab”, but instead the far more pointed (pun intended) “jag”.
Sally Cheseldine
Edinburgh
• I am glad to hear of the generous proposed legislation extending maternity leave for cabinet ministers to six months on full pay (Report, 4 February). Can we expect the same generosity to now be extended to all working mothers?
Margery Toller
Iona, Argyll and Bute
• I have just checked my copy of Eine Kleine Beatlemusic, and the B-side is actually called On the Bayreuth Beat – My Old Man’s a Dutchman (Letters, 3 February) is just one of its excellent tracks.
Alexandra Denman
Bristol
• Your weekend supplements contain many delicious recipes. However, the time has come for your writers to face up to the reality of Brexit. I haven’t seen an aubergine for sale anywhere for several weeks.
John O’Dwyer
Steeple Claydon, Buckinghamshire
