LETTERS
letters@private-eye.co.uk
Andy pandering
Sir,
Are you going to reprint your cover of some time ago (Eye 1284) of a conversation between the former Duchess of York (aka Fergie) and the former Duke of York (the famous non-sweater) and their ravishing daughters. Clearly inside knowledge, although I had not realised before now you mix with billionaires.
N. MILLAR.
The Regeneration Game
Sir, Congratulations on your dogged investigation into the complicated saga of Teesside development under Ben Houchen and his pals (p25, Eye 1660). Clearly the government has been taken for a ride, but we have been here before if you recall DeLorean under a Thatcher government and again and again right up to and including Covid PPE procurement deals.
Moral of the story: politicians should learn that there is no such thing as a quick win in industrial regeneration.
GARRY HONEY, Winchester.
…Thank you for the comprehensive overview of Lord Houchen’s dodgy dealings and well done for fi tting so much into a mere eight pages. I spotted one error: Mary Lanigan is described as the Labour leader of Redcar and Cleveland council, but she was an Independent.
Independents led the council 2019-2023 with support from the Liberal Democrats.
NIGEL CARDEN.
…Excellent piece from Richard Brooks on Houchen et al. Now let’s force the government to get these vast fortunes back. It’s another way of levelling up.
BARRY GARDNER.
…An incidental detail in your special report on the scandal at the site of the former steelworks at Teesside was that Tees Valley mayor Lord Houchen made mention in the House of Lords of the 200th anniversary of the Stockton-Darlington railway.
The motto of the Stockton and Darlington Railway Company was “periculum privatum utilitas publica”, which translates as “at private risk for public good” – which appears to be the complete opposite of events detailed in the report. I wonder whether the noble lord appreciates, or is even aware of, the irony.
MARTIN McLEAN, Darlington.
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Lookalike
Giorgia
Mandy
Sir,
It’s been reported that Giorgia Meloni was called a prostitute, which caused her to pull a funny face. There is no question that she was copying Mandy Carter, who coincidentally was also called a prostitute.