If Biden hadn’t pardoned his son, he would have been a target for Trump

While I can sympathise with Keith Poole’s position on Joe Biden pardoning his son Hunter (“Letters: A disappointing day for American justice”, Wednesday 4 December), I’m not convinced that it’s going to be the issue he anticipates.

The American people have already shown that they’re no longer especially bothered about truth or justice, by re-electing Donald Trump in spite of his casual-at-best relationship with the truth, and the fact that the only convictions he apparently has are criminal ones.

A serial adulterer and sexual offender, Trump has previously stated that he intends to pardon himself of corruption and inciting insurrection, and that he has no issue with pardoning the insurrectionists themselves, despite the existential threat that they presented to the democratic process.

I think it’s safe to say that as president, Trump would have pressed for a harsh victimisation of Hunter because he’s a bitter, grudge-bearing little man who has no respect for the political impartiality of the courts.

President Biden has done what any parent in his position would have done: he looked after the best interests of his offspring. Nobody can or should hold that against him.

Julian Self

Wolverton, Milton Keynes

Can anyone explain why the government wants to build hundreds of new houses, including some on greenbelt land, when hundreds already exist but just need renovating ("What’s really behind the surprise surge in house prices?", Monday 2 December)?

I understand that some towns such as Bolton already have thousands of empty homes left vacant. Surely, it would be a much cheaper and quicker way to house people if the government purchased these houses from the private sector and invested in their renewal?

Why leave these houses to rot and ruin, when towns could benefit from such regeneration?

Susan Arrand

Address supplied

Problems with the NHS have been brewing ever since it was established (“Starmer warned NHS reforms will fail over ‘worrying’ trend in staff recruitment”, Tuesday 3 December).

Levelling the blame at the previous government is very simplistic and indicative of the mentality failing the nation. Its history has been chequered, one of gradual and insidious failure. It has been poorly managed under most past governments.

With all the technical advances since it was launched, and the centralisation and reduction of the system to the now 930 sites, can you explain why staff levels kept growing until they are now two and a half times greater per head of UK population than in 1948?

Graham Cooper

Address supplied

Alastair Majury makes several errors in his argument that the Parthenon Sculptures, better known as the Elgin Marbles, should stay in the British Museum and not be returned to Greece (Letters: “The Elgin Marbles belong in Britain – they’re our history, too”, Wednesday 4 December).

He is wrong to argue that the British Museum “represents our nation’s embrace of diverse cultures and histories”.

It was founded by Hans Sloane, who made his money from the slaves who worked his sugar plantations in Jamaica. He used the money he sweated from slaves to amass the collection which became the British Museum.

He is also wrong to argue that the museum “protect(s) and showcase(s) these artefacts”. Last year, it was revealed that 2,000 objects in its collection had been stolen by an employee and sold for a pittance on eBay. So much for “protecting” world heritage.

The British Museum is nothing but a big box holding the plunder carried out by British imperialism.

Sasha Simic

Stoke Newington, London