Letters: Communities felt the pain when subpostmasters were falsely accused
SNP war on privacy
SIR – The SNP’s proposed law to make it illegal for parents, psychotherapists and others to try to persuade children and patients to desist from identifying as members of a different gender or sex (report, January 10) represents an extraordinary infringement of personal liberty.
It effectively means that the state will be empowered to criminalise private and consenting conversations, and the free offering of advice. However, there are no plans to criminalise those who encourage young people – who are often suffering from gender dysphoria and other disorders – from going down the road of surgery that is designed to give them the appearance of being members of the opposite sex. Surely this also constitutes “conversion therapy”.
Freedom of speech should be a two-way street in a liberal democracy and must be based on recognition that words cannot, in and of themselves, constitute any form of coercion. The Labour Party wants a similar law to be passed throughout the UK. All those who believe in broadly liberal values must vigorously oppose it.
Marc Glendening
Royston, Hertfordshire
Dry January to March
SIR – Dry January (Letters, January 6), although well-intentioned and beneficial in some ways, may have unintended negative consequences. Granted, it can increase awareness about the harmful effects of alcohol and motivate some individuals to adopt a healthier lifestyle. However, those with problematic drinking habits may use it to try to prove to themselves that they don’t have a problem.
In truth, it isn’t that difficult to abstain for a month when one intends to return to old ways afterwards. And it would be simplistic to believe that a short period of abstinence can effectively address the issue of problematic drinking.
For those truly seeking to assess their alcohol consumption, a minimum of three months’ abstinence is necessary. This extended period provides an excellent opportunity to explore how alcohol can impact one’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. If possible, it may be helpful to have a support system in the form of a buddy and to document the progress through a diary. There is also an abundance of free peer-support help online. It is advisable for heavy drinkers to consult a doctor prior to starting this.
Gerry Hickey
London N21
Revved-up premiums
SIR – At 69 years of age, and with more than 20 years of no-claims driving, my car insurance premium has just been increased by 50 per cent.
My wife’s renewal, with the same no-claims history, has been increased from £580 to £1,510.
Two different insurance companies, a similar theme and no explanation. Is this simply profiteering?
Dennis Brook
Ingatestone, Essex
Vermouth myth
SIR – Your feature, “10 TV ads that actually worked” (January 6), perpetuates the myth that the Cinzano vermouth advertisements featuring Leonard Rossiter and Joan Collins were a huge success. They weren’t. Most people forgot what the actual product was, then went out and bought a bottle of Martini.
Cliff Brooker
Hastings, East Sussex
J P R Williams’s legacy
SIR – It was with great sadness that I read of the passing of J P R Williams (Obituaries, January 10). To many people he was a great rugby player, but to me he was a life saver.
I saw him at St Mary’s Hospital in 1986 when I’d been written off by other doctors. I had been given eight months to live when he found bone cancer in my foot. I had an amputation and am still here to tell the tale.
Thanks, JPR. Rest in peace.
Allan Green
Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire
Dogs as guests
SIR – My husband and I recently checked into a hotel for a three-night break. Sitting in the bar waiting for our room to be ready, we gasped in amazement when a couple walked into the foyer with two wet dogs (Letters, January 10) and went straight to their room. We counted another 12 dogs arriving with owners.
Dogs were not allowed in the main restaurant but could be in the bar area, where food was served all day. At one point a pampered pooch was in a chair opposite its owner eating off a plate.
The best part was when one dog in the restaurant took umbrage against another, and a snarling fight took place, with both owners cooing at their dogs to settle down.
Apart from the hygiene issue, the noise and smell spoilt the atmosphere for us. Had we not pre-paid for our stay we would have left and come home. Checking for dogs is now high on our list when booking hotels.
Penny Entecott
Middleton-on-Sea, West Sussex
SIR – We were in Northamptonshire last September for a family wedding. The hotel we stayed in happened to be having the Miniature Bull Terrier Club annual meeting, which we only found out about upon checking in.
Even as a great dog-loving family, we were scarred by waking up slightly the worse for wear the morning after to the pungent smell in the corridor.
Henry Giles
London SW15
Typing to music
SIR – I learnt to touch type 70 years ago (Letters, January 10). To mark the rhythm for typing, my instructor played a gramophone record. This was usually The Washington Post by John Philip Sousa, but occasionally he played a Fats Waller record. Do readers have similar memories?
Bob Griffiths
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
A collection testifying to a love of good beer
SIR – Brian Thorne (Letters, December 30) recalls Carlsberg’s special brew made to commemorate Winston Churchill’s visit to Denmark in 1950.
In the early 1950s a boarding school craze was to collect samples of brewers bottled beer labels. I duly wrote to some 40 or so brewers, including Carlsberg, which sent as its offering the special Churchill label. That I still possess the scrapbook from 70 years ago is a testament to my lifelong love of good beer – too often in excess.
Tony Millard
Redhill, Surrey
SIR – It is generally accepted that stronger beers with a higher abv cost more than weaker beers with a lower abv, due partly to the amount of duty to be paid. So why do non-alcoholic beers cost so much?
David Davies
Newburgh, Lancashire
Why rewilding is not to blame for flooding
SIR – William Sitwell is frustrated with the recent flooding and says rewilding is the opposite of what is needed now (Features, January 6). Yet to blame rewilding is wrong.
The Dutch are world leaders in preventing flooding, and part of their solution has been to slow the run-off of water from the land. Stripping land for intensive agriculture results in erosion and the silting up of waterways. Draining moorland (for sheep) results in rapid run-off of water and flooding in places like the Lake District. Restoring some waterways to a sinuous course allows surrounding land to flood naturally.
Rewilding is not about returning to a dark age, but is intended to benefit nature and humans at the same time.
Dr Hamish Paton
Wakefield, West Yorkshire
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