If we have to have a British remake of Old Enough, perhaps it could involve giving cabinet ministers simple tasks to do on their own, such as travelling on public transport, telling the truth or being kind. We would have to put up with unbearable smugness if any of them succeeded, but the chances are slim (Old Enough: the Japanese TV show that abandons toddlers on public transport, 7 April).
Mark Walford
London
• Now Sri Lanka’s incompetent President Rajapaksa is described as a “strongman” (Sri Lanka facing imminent threat of starvation, senior politician warns, 6 April). Modi in India, Brazil’s Bolsonaro, Bin Salman in Saudi Arabia and Putin are regularly called “strongmen”. One could be forgiven for seeing them as bullies and thugs – not strongmen at all. Can we please drop that inaccurate cliche?
Charles Barker
Coventry
• Given the huge media coverage of Boris Johnson’s photo-op trip to Kyiv over the weekend, you may wish to reconsider the use of the word “secret” in your headline (A wink and a walk: Boris Johnson’s warm welcome on secret Kyiv visit, 10 April).
Barbara Brewis
Burnopfield, County Durham
• Interesting to see “drama”, “art” and “library” included as words associated with school in your print edition’s Wordsearch (11 April). I wonder how long ago the setter went to school? Perhaps it wasn’t a publicly funded establishment.
Hilary Clarkson
Manfield, North Yorkshire
• Could the same approval process used to speed up PPE contracts be used to deal with the Ukrainian visa blockage (Report, 8 April)?
Tom Dougan
Dalgety Bay, Fife
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