While the people of Surrey await full disclosure of precisely what was said, by who, and when, from their county council to the government on the issue of council tax rises (Report, 9 February), it is not unfair to point out that there certainly were compelling reasons for council leader David Hodge to try to get a special deal over the issue. Polling has shown that the proposed referendum would very likely have been defeated and, linked with that, it seems more than probable that the Tories would have lost many of their seats.
Rev Andrew McLuskey
Stanwell, Surrey
• Disappointing to see the Guardian has joined the BBC in its use of the presumptive and value-laden word “burden” when reporting on tax forecasts (Report, 8 February). This can only contribute to a tacit assumption of neoliberalism as the economic default position for the UK, and reflects poorly on a newspaper with a proud tradition of offering alternative and radical fiscal analysis.
Dave Young
London
• If Paul Nuttall follows Keith Flett’s encouragement and fills the Ambridge farm manager vacancy (Letters, 9 February), I wouldn’t care to be in his brogues when Rob Titchener returns, as he surely will.
Peter Barnes
Simpson, Buckinghamshire
• Steve Bell’s depiction of a Dalek with its gun on the right (If… cartoon, G2, 9 February) is an alternative fact. Daleks are right-plungered. The gun is on the left.
Charles Foster
Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire
• Following the discussion on the various properties of Weetabix (Letters, 8 February), I recall working in an architectural practice, and having a discussion with one of the architects about the properties of some wood fibre roofing board: it crumbles like Weetabix, he said – pause for thought – “Maybe it is Weetabix?”
Elizabeth Nokes
London
• The former BBC Scotland football commentator Archie Macpherson, who sported an elaborate combover, was known to aficionados as “Weetabix Heid”. Perhaps in light of recent election results, more work could be done in this field.
Tom Locke
Burntisland, Fife
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