We mistakenly labelled Lord McNally a former Conservative justice minister. He is a Liberal Democrat (“Pardoning the dead is fine. Better to say sorry to the living”, Comment, 23 Oct, page 45).
Contrary to our Travel piece on parades in the West Country (“Wheels on fire”, Magazine, last week, page 52), proceeds from collections made along the route do not go to the clubs that build the spectacular floats, but direct to charities. Carnival clubs hold separate fundraising events to pay for their floats.
Several readers questioned a photograph of a family watching colour television that claimed to be taken in 1954, when TV was still broadcast in black and white (caption, New Review, 23 Oct, page 38). We had muddled an agency caption that said the picture was taken in 1968 (the year the colour TV licence was introduced). And another caption (News, last week, page 4) placed Wakefield in South Yorkshire. It’s in West Yorkshire.
Usage corner: “the importance of the gallery … cannot be understated.” To repeat a weary observation in our style guide, we often get this wrong. (News, 23 Oct, page 12).
Write to Stephen Pritchard, Readers’ Editor, the Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, email observer.readers@observer.co.uk tel 020 3353 4656
