It seems ironic that the prime minister’s journey to India (Report, 8 November) should coincide with the Sheffield Hallam report on the devastating hollowing out of UK manufacturing. Where have our manufacturing jobs gone but to poorly paid workers in India and China, where exploitative working conditions and child labour are rife? Should we not be erecting more tariff barriers rather than seeking to remove them?
Murray Marshall
Salisbury, Wiltshire
• John Crace is right to suggest the Royal Festival Hall as a place to start taking out “a huge swath of the liberal metropolitan elite” (Digested week, 12 November). Last week I was there watching Abel Gance’s magnificent film Napoleon. Near the end, when Napoleon, alone, waxes eloquent about his vision of a Europe without borders, most of the audience erupted in cheers and applause, drowning out the relatively few boos (not to mention the accompanying Philharmonia Orchestra).
David Parlett
London
• Emma Brockes’ friend (Notebook, 10 November) is considering her options: Cuba or Israel. Emma might like to remind her that Israel is the country that has already built its wall.
Lizzie Haines
Nottingham
• A large, wealthy retailer makes a TV Christmas advert (John Lewis bets on Buster the boxer for sales bounce, 10 November) and the Guardian devotes half a news page to it. The power of free advertising, eh.
Steve Mason
Hornchurch, Essex
• I would like to alert readers to a potential hazard this Christmas. Here in north London foxes regularly poo on our trampoline. Just mentioning it.
Helen Greaves
London
• Jeans are the new corsets (Jean cut-off rule is arbitrary and ageist, 5 November).
Joyce Blackledge
Formby, Merseyside
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