The problem with the single currency is that it breaks one of the cardinal rules of the European project (“Greece in crisis: was the euro always a bad idea, a cause of Europe’s woes?”, Comment). The underlying principle set by the architects of European unity (Monnet, Schuman) is that of “community” – cut to its basics, “common solutions to common problems”. The single currency is fatally flawed because the eurozone has a common currency but lacks a common fiscal policy. The economic alignment of member states is threatened with divergence, leading to structural imbalances and none more so than during economic crises.
The implosion of the Greek economy is a tragedy for its people, but the common solution from the EU is yet more austerity! Alexis Tsipras has refused to buckle under enormous economic and political pressure and is fighting for the common interests of the Greek people. This is in sharp contrast to European leaders who appear to be too much influenced by financial and corporate interests and have strayed from the path set by Europe’s founding fathers.
Emeritus Professor Roger Lloyd-Jones
Sheffield
Preventing sexual violence
The assertion that the government’s preventing sexual violence in conflict initiative “has had negligible impact and that British funding has been withdrawn from vital projects” is misleading and ignores crucial facts (“William Hague’s summit against warzone rape seen as ‘costly failure’”, News).
The UK has provided more than £14m to PSVI-related work over the last three years. We have supported human-rights defenders and NGOs around the world. We have funded a wide range of UN and international agencies. UK programmes mean 100 African Union and UN peacekeepers, plus 700 Kurdish peshmerga, are trained to prevent and respond to sexual violence. We are tackling this heinous aspect of Islamic State’s crimes in Iraq.
This year, we have already allocated a further £6m to PSVI work. The fight is long. Sexual violence in conflict is a complex issue. It will take years to bring about the cultural, political and practical changes required to end it. Last year’s global summit to end sexual violence in conflict was a milestone. It was the largest meeting of its kind, bringing together representatives from more than 120 countries, 100 NGOs and international organisations and more than 900 experts. It galvanised global action.
The UK’s leadership makes this possible. Our determination to tackle this scourge is unwavering. We have never shied away from defending those in need. Our commitment continues.
Baroness Anelay
Prime minister’s special representative on preventing sexual violence in conflict
Too few Jews for a drove
Andrew Hussey asserts that, in response to some prevailing antisemitism, French Jews are leaving France “in droves” (“France’s long march to tomorrow”, New Review). They are not. The most recent figures teeter between 1% and 2% of a total of 650,000 Jews thriving as French in France. Figures are emerging of a significant proportion of Hussey’s “droves” who have turned around and come back. Otherwise, Hussey’s was an excellent review of two recent books on French history.
Gloria Cigman
Oxford
A black-and-white issue?
In discussing the implications of white or black actors playing Othello, Barbara Ellen is keen to emphasise that the right question is asked (“Othello…it’s not really a grey area”, Comment). May I suggest the relevant question is: to what extent can discrimination in the present be justified on the grounds that it compensates for discrimination in the past?
Michael Gibson
Bristol
Game of moans
In asking “How devoted can a viewer be if they’re still moaning about spoilers days after a hit show has aired?” (“Jon Snow’s dead. Oh sorry, didn’t anyone tell you?” Comment), Barbara Ellen seems surprisingly unaware that many of us strongly disapprove of Rupert Murdoch and refuse to subscribe to Sky. I’ve been waiting for the box set of the latest series and avoiding any reviews.
Karin Barry
London W10
Interesting underdogs
What does it say about the Labour party that the list of candidates for the deputy leadership is so much more appealing than the list for the leadership (“I’m wiser and more generous now, reflects the man who plotted to topple Blair”, News)?
Colin McCulloch
Marlow, Bucks
Halcyon solstices
In 1942, I was one of a small group of boys from the former Andover grammar school who, with our geography master, met at midnight and cycled 20 miles to Stonehenge for the summer solstice (“No fires, no mystery as Stonehenge’s solstice is sold as a ‘holiday experience’ ”, News). We parked our bikes by the stones and wandered among them alone. We rode abreast there and back along empty roads. Unfortunately, the rising sun was clouded, but the memory is clear.
David Buckingham
Leamington Spa
