I am stuck. Can anyone think of a privatised service that has saved money and improved service for the general public?
Bernie White
Newport, Gwent
• In today’s Britain, where stones are thrown through the windows of Greek and German doctors (The EU nationals fleeing from Britain, 29 July), it is reassuring to know that there is at least one European immigrant, of German-Greek descent, whom the nation has taken to its heart (Prince Philip bows out, 2 August). Pity that the other 3 million of us cannot all marry into the royal family.
Anders Ditlev Clausager
Birmingham
• Two forerunners of the scientists surely deserve mention in this connection (Mother of all blooms, 2 August) – Erasmus Darwin’s Loves of the Plants (1789) and other writings, and Goethe’s essay On Morphology, and his pamphlet, On the Attempt to Explain the Metamorphosis of Plants (1790), written after he thought he had “discovered” the Urpflanze (“original plant”) in the Palermo public gardens, Sicily in 1787. Goethe knew and admired Darwin’s work.
Nicholas Jacobs
London
• Centimetreing towards victory? Making the hard metres? An ah wid walk 500 kilometres (Letters, 3 August)? Really National culture must surely trump mere road signage?
Mike Hine
Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
• Nicky Hawkins writes an article entitled “Telling people ‘you’re wrong’ doesn’t work” (Opinion, 4 August). Presumably it won’t work.
John Heawood
York
• I don’t thank the Vikings for my Dupuytren’s (Letters, 1 August), but I did laugh when I saw Bill Nighy (one of us) saluting in Dad’s Army.
Jennifer Parkhurst
Norwich
• Cryptic crossword (2 August), 1 across: “Player added a bit of cream to hair (7)”. The answer is surely “actor”, but I’m damned if I can stretch it to seven letters.
Graeme Garden
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
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