One of the “contradictions” you might have mentioned in your leader about William Morris (25 May) was that he was a director of and shareholder in the world’s largest arsenic producer, which caused thousands of arsenic-related deaths and huge environmental damage. On account of that interest, he actively campaigned against banning arsenic in domestic furnishings. Most continental countries prohibited its use in the 19th century but Britain did not. Even allowing for historical context, the recommendation that he should now adorn the currency might seem at odds with your otherwise commendable campaign to keep fossil fuels in the ground.
Alistair Craig
London
• If the government wants to help tenants to own their homes, the way to go is not to give massive discounts without replacing the lost housing stock (Tories to press on with right to buy reform despite protests, 26 May). A cost-effective way would be to refund all or part of the rents paid to tenants, who would then have a deposit to put towards a property in the private sector. The accommodation would still be available to rent, and the council would not be in massive financial difficulty. Too easy?
Joan Langrognat
Harrow, Middlesex
• The habit of adding an extra “y” to English adjectives (Letters, 26 May) is certainly an old one, as when the prologue in Shakespeare’s Henry V asks: “Can this cockpit hold the vasty fields of France?” There’s a danger in applying too much logic to English usage; the extra “y” may be unnecessary, but I wouldn’t say that it adds nothing,
Julian Gardiner
Elstree, Hertfordshire
• You appear to be surprised that the former Lanchester Polytechnic should be as high as 15th in your table (Former poly shines in university rankings, 26 May). Yet at No 4 is the former Battersea Polytechnic, or “night school” as we used to call it.
John Walsh
Swindon
• A poem a day / Keeps the letters at bay.
Steve Peak
Hastings, East Sussex
