In your interview with the Geordie singer-songwriter Sam Fender (‘Leftie is now a slur in working-class towns’, 25 August), you quote him saying that a lot of his lyrics used to come from “pub craic”. The expression “crack” – gossip, banter, local news – is old Scottish and north-eastern English in origin. At some point in the late 20th century, the term was enthusiastically adopted in Ireland, whence it returned with its own Gaelic spelling. But I think we can be fairly certain that Sam, from North Shields, is inspired by the original “crack” rather than the recent Celtic construction.
Andrew Poole
Newcastle upon Tyne
• In its HQ revamp (‘All we need is a Walk of Fame!’ – the £4m rebirth of the National Youth Theatre, 24 August), I hope the National Youth Theatre will find a way to commemorate its founder, Michael Croft. The NYT might never have happened without his vision and energy.
John Pelling
Coddenham, Suffolk
• Rafael Behr (Opinion, 24 August) might be correct in saying that Brexit is a failure but not a spectacular one. There is just one word missing: yet.
David Reed
London
• Dominic Raab says that “with the benefit of hindsight” he wouldn’t have gone on holiday while the Taliban were taking over Kabul (Report, 25 August). With foresight he shouldn’t have gone on holiday.
James Evans
Callington, Cornwall
• A long article on home working and workers’ rights (20 August), with nothing in it about climate change and the need to travel less?
Emma Tristram
Binsted, Hampshire
• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication.
