Thank you for highlighting the plight of the former civil servants Josie Stewart and Raphael Marshall (Fall of Kabul whistleblower sues UK government after sacking, 3 February), and thank heavens for their allegiance to the truth, even at such a high personal cost. Their courage is a powerful reminder of those in public life who show real integrity, and gives grounds for hope.
Lawrence Sail
Exeter
• The business secretary, Grant Shapps, says he find it abhorrent that vulnerable people unable to pay their bills have had prepayment meters forced upon them (Grant Shapps tells Ofgem to toughen up over prepayment meter scandal, 5 February). Does he not find it even more abhorrent that they cannot afford these bills in the first place?
Katy Jennison
Witney, Oxfordshire
• On top of weathering an unstable government, an unstable monarchy, a dubious police force and an overworked health service, I am told that I cannot seek comfort in my wood-burning stove (‘A serious threat’: calls grow for urgent review of England’s wood-burning stoves, 2 February). I am going down the garden – to my compost heap – to eat worms.
Ruth Hine
Reading
• In the light of the Delilah controversy, what would readers think about students studying Browning’s My Last Duchess, whose sinister end is similar to Delilah’s (Bye, bye, bye Delilah: Wales rugby choirs banned from singing Tom Jones hit, 1 February)? Should it be banned, or are different standards applied when judging poetic works of art and popular songs?
Peter Grieve
West Wickham, Cambridgeshire
• New line for Delilah: “Showed her a picture of Raab and she laughed no more.”
John Richards
Oxford
