Here is a simple solution to the composition of a second chamber (Letters, 31 July). Hold a general election as usual. In each constituency the winner goes to the Commons. All the second-placers go to the second chamber. Advantages of this system are 1) it costs nothing; 2) a landslide in the commons will automatically be balanced in the second chamber 3) every member in the second chamber will be able to look at the Commons and see the MP who defeated them, so no question of precedence. If it is preferred that the number in the second chamber should be lower than in the Commons, then only the closest losers should gain a place.
RC Whiting
Stilton, Cambridgeshire
• All of the bats used to illustrate your article on Dracula (Birth of a blood sucker, G2, 29 July) are in fact insect-eaters, as are 70% of the 1,240 bat species worldwide. Only three species of bat feed on blood. Bats suffer from enough myth and misinformation as it is, and imagery such as this doesn’t help. To find out some real facts about bats go to the Bat Conservation Trust’s website: www.bats.org.uk
Dr Kirsty Park
University of Stirling
• Peter Bradshaw (Notebook, 1 August) could easily solve his problem with opening plastic bags in Tesco by taking his own cotton ones with him whenever he goes shopping. Much better for the environment too!
Judy Evans
Brighton
• In your article about Poundland (1 August), I read that the average shopper spends £4.72. Tried it, didn’t work.
Mike Jones
Exeter
