The long read (The influence machine, Journal, 29 November) gives a fascinating account of how various rightwing thinktanks, notably the Institute of Economic Affairs, have shaped the Conservative party.
Although Mark Littlewood, the IEA’s director, is far less frequently on TV than previously, his place has been taken by its associate director (media centre), a young and seemingly personable American woman, Kate Andrews. She appears on many politics and talk shows and on the press reviews of both BBC News and Sky News, which rarely introduce her as a representative of a right-leaning organisation. While her views are often balanced by speakers who are more centrist or even leftwing, the IEA’s influence is insidious because it is unacknowledged.
Sheila Cross
Newby Wiske, North Yorkshire
• The long read parallels Democracy in Chains, Nancy Maclean’s much-acclaimed study of the same process in the US. There can be little doubt that this is a pernicious threat to our democracy and society at large. It is therefore a pity that neither of our major parties is proposing to limit private contributions to the maximum of a state grant to meet parties’ legitimate election expenses.
Roger Brown
Southampton
• The last sentence of your report on the Lib Dem election campaign (29 November) pointing out that rich donors to their campaign “might want to know why, when they’ve written six-figure cheques, they end up with only a couple of percent more than Tim Farron managed” tells us a lot about what is wrong with British politics. Why should those with money have a greater say in the outcome of the general election than any other voter?
Declan O’Neill
Oldham
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