Giles Oakley (Letters, 19 October) complains about people like me “spending more time attacking friends and allies on the left than targeting opponents on the right”. First, the Campaign for State Education (Case) is not aligned to any political party. Nevertheless, of the last 30 letters published by members of Case in a wide range of publications, only three have been in any way critical of Labour. These three did not take more time to write than the other 27! Second, Case expects the Tories to uphold existing socioeconomic privilege; Labour is supposed to be different.
Michael Pyke
Campaign for State Education
• I too used to believe that Hairy Maclary was Scottish, and as a former bookseller sold him with enthusiasm to Americans wanting something for the grandkids. But his creator hails from New Zealand, so you will have to take him out of your unisex Scottish baby box (Shortcuts, G2, 18 October) and replace him with Katie Morag, which will doubtless drive all the boys to Buckfast in their later years.
Margaret Squires
St Andrews, Fife
• Glyndebourne Tour’s Madama Butterfly (Review, 19 October) may be John Wilson’s first grand opera, but I cannot be alone in remembering with pleasure his conducting of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore for Opera North a few years ago; a Savoy opera is an opera, isn’t it?
Peter Druée
Kingston, Surrey
• Good to read George Monbiot’s characteristically forceful analysis of the curse that the entitled few visit upon a dying planet with their heedless addiction to flying in pursuit of their private and personal pleasure (Opinion, 19 October). Almost certainly too late to add Is your journey really necessary? to the recently disinterred wartime directive to Keep calm and carry on.
Maggie Winkworth
London
• “Woolfe: Ukip ungovernable without Farage” (18 October). Ah yes, we all remember what a disciplined, well-run party it used to be.
Michael Cunningham
Wolverhampton
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
