An early topic for Lord Adonis’s infrastructure commission to consider should be a railway system fit for the 22nd century (Report, 31 October). Instead of playing at catch up with the rest of the world with the HS2 and HS3 schemes, why not invest in maglev for both? This would be a more acceptable justification of the disruption that construction would cause and put the UK ahead of the game.
Bogumit Polachowski
Greasby, Wirral
• Jonathan Coe quotes Martin Amis declaring Jeremy Corbyn, among other charges, as being without a sense of humour (Review, 31 October). If this is essential in a party leader how did Margaret Thatcher (cherished by Amis?) become not only leader of a party but prime minister?
Valerie E Palmer
South Shields
• Your sober analysis of Halloween (Editorial, 30 October) made me wonder if any religious festival can resist commercial exploitation. The only one I came up with was Ash Wednesday. Perhaps we could invent some rituals for non-religious annual events (eg putting the clocks back in October) and see how long it takes for related artefacts to appear in the supermarkets.
Geoff Reid
Bradford
• The “forgotten” film of George Best (Report, 31 October) wasn’t forgotten by the Cornerhouse, Manchester, which screened it in 2006 to commemorate his death. I know because I was at the viewing on 21 May and still have the listings leaflet from which I quote: “Best’s beauty on the pitch is captured forever. In the year of his death, surely there can be no better tribute.”
Christine Patrick
Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
• I’ll go to any number of craft fairs so long as no “artisanal bread” is on sale.
Martin Drury
Watford
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