Those who oppose PR are almost invariably motivated by self-interest. Francis Prideaux (Letters, 15 June) has this in common with the Tories he aims to displace. Why is it OK that it takes 525,371 votes to elect one Green MP and only 49,141 to elect each Labour MP? Why are Greens supposed to abandon their priorities in favour of Labour – a pro-Brexit, anti-PR party that is lukewarm on environmental issues? There needs to be give as well as take, but Labour are only interested in cooperation that goes one way.
Claire Lewis
London
• The Guardian reported that councils will lose £522m in business rate rebates over the next five years (Report, 12 June) due to private schools’ laughable claim to be charities. That money would be better spent on installing sprinkler systems in high-rise council blocks.
Christopher Clayton
Chester
• Mention of the Schleswig-Holstein question (Letters, 15 June) reminded me of an apocryphal story about the poet Robert Browning. Asked once about the meaning of a line in one of his poems, Browning thought for a moment, then confessed: “When I wrote that line, only God and Robert Browning knew what it meant. Now only God knows.”
Harry Watson
Edinburgh
• Thank you to the wonderful Phil Gates (Country diary, 15 June). The scarlet lily beetle has provided the perfect word for the DUP-Tory deal – utterly frass.
Graham Durham
London
• First the Berliner, now the tabloid (Hens’ ark is lined with Berliner, 15 June). It is clear that animal housing across the country will have to be downsized, with potentially serious animal welfare issues. Pepper and Spice will be turning in their grave.
Carolyn Stott
Tadworth, Surrey
• I thought I’d better get this letter off quick while you still have room to print it.
Geoff Anderson
Sheffield
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