David Winnick (Letters, 23 August) notes that I was critical of those standing for parliament at a young age, and goes on to say: “Clearly, he was not of that view when he stood as a candidate in Devon North in 1970, when he was 22.” No indeed. One learns as one gets older. I refer him to my memoir, Hinterland: “At the grand old age of 22 I was far too young and immature to represent anyone …”
Chris Mullin
Former MP for Sunderland South
• “Stop calling me boring, Keir Starmer tells shadow cabinet” (Report, 14 June 2022), but then he accepts free tickets to a Coldplay concert in Manchester (More than 100 MPs received freebies worth £180,000 this summer, 23 August). You aren’t helping, Keir.
Bill Bradbury
Bolton, Greater Manchester
• I feel for those who phoned the number on the Hackney Diamonds ad in search of a glass repair company (The Rolling Stones sneak cryptic teaser ad for new album in local London newspaper, 23 August). Then again, you can’t always get what you want, I suppose.
Colin Montgomery
Edinburgh
• Please could someone tell me what a person paid £10m, plus or minus the odd £5m, spends their money on (FTSE 100 bosses ‘given average pay rise of £500,000 in 2022’, 22 August)?
Eira Hughes
Broadbottom, Greater Manchester
• Surely there can be no such thing as a head transplant (History of transplant breakthroughs: from hearts to hands … and heads?, 23 August). Wouldn’t it be a body transplant for the head?
Dr John Davies
Kirkby, North Yorkshire
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