The essence of democracy is the ability to speak freely without the fear of persecution (Paris terror attack: Huge manhunt under way after gunmen kill 12, 7 January, theguardian.com). This is an attack on the freedom of speech and on all freedom-loving people. It must be condemned in the strongest possible terms and the perpetrators must be punished.
Dr Michael Pravica
Henderson, Nevada, USA
• Nothing highlights more clearly the irrelevance of economics as a profession than the range of forecasts in your story about oil prices (Report, 7 January). Past forecasts of 2015 oil prices by economists range from $20 to $85 a barrel, as random as rolling dice and multiplying the result by 10. And the wisdom of economists is leading to definite forecasts that falling oil prices will be a shot in the arm for the global economy, unless they aren’t. Time to put them in the same category as astrologers and their views relegated to the back pages of the tabloids?
Karl Sabbagh
Newbold on Stour, Warkwickshire
• John Smith writes that the British establishment prevented a yes vote in the Scottish referendum (Letters, 2 January). I formed the impression Scots voters had rather more to do with the result.
Colin Armstrong
Belfast
• My granddaughter, 19, has gone from a zero-hours contract to a six-hour weekly contract, and is pleased. Is this is what George means by things are looking up? Expect nothing from the Tories and that is what you will get.
Doris Rose
London
• It was heartening to hear how community action has kept footpaths open (Country diary, 2 January), using the Rights of Way Act 1990. However, a change in the law due to come in in 2026 will prohibit access to paths not specifically designated as public rights of way. Who has proposed this, and how has it been accepted with no public outcry?
Nicola Grove
Horningsham, Wiltshire
• Stuart Jeffries writes in his Foyles War review that “the London on screen looked nothing like it” (G2, 5 January). That’s because it was filmed in the lovely city of Liverpool.
Alan Musa
Amersham, Buckinghamshire
