Your subheading “The Tory Firebrand was once a Trotskyite…” (Owen Jones, 9 September) suggests that I am a supporter of the Tory party. Actually, as Jones accurately explained in his article, I have spent the last eight years or so campaigning unsuccessfully for the destruction of that ghastly organisation. Also, it’s a sad day when the Guardian, of all newspapers, no longer knows the difference between “Trotskyite” (a Stalinist term of abuse) and “Trotskyist” (a technical description).
Peter Hitchens
London
• Is Mr Bruce, who claims there is “a failure of humour” in the Guardian of late (Letters, 8 September), reading the same paper as I am? What about Stuart Heritage, Michele Hanson, John Crace and your unmissable Catherine Bennett for starters?
Vera Koenig
Headcorn, Kent
• What now becomes a lovely (and long-lasting) memorial to Rico Rodriguez (Obituary, 8 September) occurs in a line from Ian Dury’s Reasons to be Cheerful Part 3: “Bantu Stephen Biko, / listening to Rico, / Harpo, Groucho, Chico.”
Iain Black
Edinburgh
• Investment in a “retail mezzanine” from the proceeds of toilet takings at stations (Report, 8 September)? Instead, how about Network Rail putting the money towards some clean, comfortable seating and waiting areas that are not tied to compulsory shopping?
Corin Ashwell
London
• Why not name storms (Report, 8 September) after public inquiries? They could range from a Leveson (quite dramatic, but unlikely to have any lasting impact), up to a Chilcot (completely unpredictable in its direction, duration and cost to the nation).
John Cranston
Norwich
• My late husband, Brian, hailed from Bristol and always claimed that the words of the old western song were actually “They call the wind Mariall”.
Linda Jones
Swanmore, Hampshire
