If the government fails to intervene to prevent the acquisition of GKN by Melrose it will be further proof, if any is needed, that the UK is being run for the benefit of big business (Outcry as GKN falls to hostile takeover, 30 March). If the takeover is permitted, it is clear that shareholders will walk away with fat profits while employees will be flung on to the jobs market to scrabble for precarious work and zero-hours contracts.
Jane Sutherland
Reading, Berkshire
• The Tory government claims that the UK economy is safe in its hands, yet the national debt has recently passed £2tn having been at £.75tn when it came to power. Why is this not discussed or commented on?
Marilyn Hulbert
Bath
• Regarding memorable sick notes (Letters, 28 March), I cite the example of my wife’s school sick note, following a night queueing for tickets to a Beatles’ concert. Her stepfather wrote that she couldn’t attend school as she was suffering from Beatlemania.
Roy Miller
Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey
• Perhaps Gill Glover could respond to the letter of Catherine Mallyon of the RSC (29 March) about the increased women’s toilet facilities at Stratford by quoting the sentry in the opening scene of Hamlet – “For this relief much thanks”.
Cyril Duff
London
• Ironically, a return of a bottle and can deposit scheme (Report, 28 March) will give my favourite Ken Dodd joke a new lease of life “My Grandma died and left twenty pounds in her will – fifty six pounds ten after we returned the empties.”
Ron Plasma
Broadbottom, Cheshire
• I’m guessing that their favourite composer (Mozart, warm beds, toys – it’s a Spanish police dog’s life, 29 March) will be Offenbach?
Ian Garner
Keighley, West Yorkshire
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