“This year’s damp high season wasn’t terrible, just typical – but now we judge it against the scorching temperatures of the 2020s,” writes David Hambling (Weatherwatch, 10 October). We use a much simpler method: the metric … number of barbecues we’ve had. We might have lost count in 2020, but in 2024 it has been a one-barbecue summer.
Bob Dawson
Greenmount, Greater Manchester
• As secondary school rolls plummet, now is the time for students to leave private education and prevent the budgetary shortfall schools would be facing (Plans to add VAT to private school fees won’t be delayed, says minister, 8 October).
Sally Bates
Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire
• Now that Labour has handed the Chagos Islands over (Letters, 13 October) to another country in typical empire stylee – without the faff of a referendum – would the neo-colonialists at Westminster please hand Scotland over to, well, Scotland?
Amanda Baker
Edinburgh
• I agree with Keith Rogers (Letters, 13 October) that we should abolish 1p and 2p coins. Australia and New Zealand withdrew the 1c and 2c more than 30 years ago. If a price is $4.62, one rounds it down to $4.60 and if $4.63, it is rounded up to $4.65.
John Richards
Oxford
• The 1 and 2p coins are safe: Keir Starmer promised change. Any change, however small, we should be grateful for.
Jude Carr
London
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