Jonathan Freedland takes several lessons from the excellent Our Friends in the North (Power, corruption and lies: the TV show that could teach Keir Starmer a lot about being bold, 1 September). But it is the pragmatic, diligent lawyer Mary who gets into power, not the radical and bold Nicky. It is she who has to clear up the mess of others.
Andy McKeon
Exeter
• I’m with Marie Paterson (Letters, 31 August). In our part of the east Midlands, the rhyme went: “A whistling woman or a crowing hen / is good for neither beast nor men.” That enabled my whistling mother to reply: “A woman who whistles or a hen that crows / brings good luck wherever she goes.”
Jacky Bright
Denford, Northamptonshire
• I was surprised to read that Sir Isaac Newton lost the equivalent of £40m in today’s money investing in the South Sea Company (Beware September: five cautionary tales from economic history, 1 September). Of all people, I’d have thought he’d understand that what goes up must come down.
Allan Forsyth
Salhouse, Norfolk
• News of NHS medical workforce strikes (Report, 31 August) is concerning, but be reassured that there is an immutable obligation in consultants’ contracts to provide minimum – aka Christmas Day – cover. It’s the Santa clause.
Dr Jonathan J Ross
Sheffield
• I am not surprised that Arsenal have been slightly lost in their start to the season if Mikel Arteta believes that the A21 will take him to the London Colney training ground, rather than, say, Tunbridge Wells (Sport section, print edition, 2 September).
Ian Wilson
Thames Ditton, Surrey
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