Letters
letters@private-eye.co.uk
Cowardly line
Sir,
The brave cover for Eye 1663 would have been the photo bubble headlined “Trump welcomes Bin Salman” (p33). No, instead PE opts for its usual easy cheap shot at a woman in power.
C.J. TRIPP.
You’re pushing it
Sir,
I understand that all humour will appeal to some people and offend others and that’s to be expected. However, the latest “cartoon” showing an elderly man in a child’s buggy (which would always be far too small) clutching a teddy bear goes beyond simple offence (“The Last Laugh”, p43, Eye 1663).
Many of us know or care for others with dementia, Parkinson’s and other conditions and I can assure you there is absolutely nothing amusing in their situation. Some cannot even afford a suitable wheelchair and every day is a struggle. Even my 11-year-old grandson would find nothing amusing about this cartoon and while insulting “second childhood” I suggest that your cartoonist and editor have yet to grow out of their first. Please cancel my subscription.
HELEN MORDSLEY, London.
Hitch liker’s guide
Sir, Reading your piece on Peter Hitchens (“Hitchwatch – We’re Gloomed!”, p11, Eye 1663), can I point out that, after my fortnightly consumption of your esteemed organ with its fine reporting on the state of our institutions, I tend to feel rather as he does?
JOHN GRAY, Redhill.
Stamp of approval
Sir,
I have just put down “Post Mortem”, Richard Brooks’ detailed, forensic analysis of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, after reading it from cover to cover in under a day and wanted to congratulate him and you on a gripping read.
From the minute I picked “Post Mortem” up, I couldn’t put it down. The story of the Post Office’s persecution of postmasters and mistresses who were innocent of any wrongdoing, bankrupting them, sending them to jail and then denying fair compensation is complex and packed with many characters, but Brooks’ ability with words makes it easy to read and understand.
His conclusions are clear and commendable, including a useful – though possibly not comprehensive – checklist of those executives, minions, lawyers and others who should now be living in fear of criminal, corporate and professional sanctions, if justice is truly to be done.
The Eye, along with Computer Weekly and Nick Wallis, have done a great service in exposing this scandal and its perpetrators. “Post Mortem” and Nick Wallis’ “The Great Post Office Scandal” should be set books for schools.