Your report (Post Office apologises in false accounting scandal climbdown, 2 October) doesn’t mention the unjust presumption in UK law that a computer system was working correctly at the material time unless evidence is presented to the contrary. This burden should not fall on the defendants, as they cannot present evidence about the internal workings of someone else’s computer system. Yet the inquiry into the scandal has been told that it cannot consider matters of criminal law. The inquiry must be allowed to investigate this presumption, or lives will continue to be ruined by false accusations.
Prof Martyn Thomas
Fellow, Gresham College, London
• I am disappointed in your use of the term “Spanish influenza” in describing the 1918 pandemic (Mary Trump says president sees illness as sign of ‘unforgivable weakness’, 5 October). Given that the disease is believed to have spread from an army camp in Kansas, I suggest that you follow Donald Trump’s lead and refer to it as the “American plague”.
Wayne Jones
Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
• Trump says he’s now been to the “real school” of Covid-19 and learned a lot. Makes you wonder whether he’ll go on to the Covid-19 university to learn even more.
Reini Schühle
Pontefract, West Yorkshire
• A substitute word for “staycation” (Letters, 5 October)? My husband and I haven’t left the UK for over 20 years, and we’ve always found the term “holiday” works well. (Incidentally, we voted remain.)
Lynn Fotheringham
Over Kellet, Lancashire
• In the 1960s, people used to say they were going to Remainia.
Ruth Lewis
Middlesbrough
