Your editorial on universal credit (30 September) grossly underestimates the rate of benefit clawback at 65%. You omit the additional loss of the locally administered council tax reduction, typically an additional 20%. The marginal loss of each extra pound earned by the poorest earners is thus 85%, almost twice the equivalent loss to income tax and national insurance of the extra pound earned by our country’s highest earners, including George Osborne and our current ministers.
John Kay
Ringmer, East Sussex
• In 1929 Norah C James published her first novel, Sleeveless Errand (Banned books week, Review, 30 September). A few weeks later she found herself in Bow Street police court hearing her book being banned on the grounds of its immoral, drunken characters who tolerated promiscuity and used blasphemous and filthy language. All known copies were burned though an edition was published in Paris by Jack Kahane’s Obelisk Press. James went on to write over 60 novels and children’s books, the last of which was published in 1975.
Dr Sylvia Dunkley
Sheffield
• Why, in the section “Midlands and East Anglia” in your 50 best Sunday lunches supplement (30 September), were no Midlands establishments mentioned let alone recommended?
Michael Rosenthal
Banbury, Oxfordshire
• I bet Guardian readers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are looking forward to a supplement on activities to do on a Sunday lunchtime as they are clearly not going to be out eating “cosy weekend feasts”. 41 exciting suggestions for England and nine for the rest of UK.
Joyce Hawthorn
Kendal, Cumbria
• Anyone wanting to see a first-rate collection of Cornish art (Letters, 30 September) might do better to visit Penlee House in Penzance. Alternatively try the smaller galleries in St Ives itself.
Walter Brown
Crediton, Devon
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