Larry Elliott (Report, 25 October) singles out Sweden as being both highly competitive and egalitarian, but does not mention Finland, where private education has been abolished. This is surely the way out of our class-ridden education system that wastes so much of our precious young talent instead of training the skilled workforce we need.
Margaret Phelps
Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan
• Cis, as everyone knew her, gave the best and most profound advice to a young playwright in Stratford-upon-Avon (Cicely Berry obituary, 27 October). Whether we were discussing critics, directors, actors, or audiences, she would say: “Fuck them all, darling, fuck them all.” It felt like a blessing from Mount Olympus. She’ll be missed.
Nick Dear
London
• Given the prime minister won’t consider taking “Sir” Philip Green’s knighthood back, how about everyone else return theirs instead?
Professor Michael Symonds
School of Medicine, University of Nottingham
• Ian Bullock (Letters, 26 October) asks: “Can anyone recall a large national demo that wasn’t largely middle class?” Peterloo, 1819.
Simon Taylor
Kenilworth, Warwickshire
• Another benefit of “handles up” in dishwasher loading (Letters, 25 October) is surely that it negates the risk of slipping on a possibly wet kitchen floor between loading sorties, and a painful and somewhat embarrassing demise by way of upturned knife blades. I write from the vantage point of common sense as opposed to experience, obviously.
Bill Hawkes
Canterbury, Kent
• When do all these people with dishwashers listen to the Archers?
Matthew Newman
Leeds
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