After the discovery of Cheddar Man, white supremacists should eat their hearts out

The article on Cheddar Man reveals that he was a dark brown or black Briton, but this is hardly surprising. Tacitus reveals that the Silures of south-east Wales, an area quite close to the Cheddar region, were of dark complexion and curly-haired, so he thought them related to the Spanish. It is quite likely that in early Britain the darker-skinned population that Tacitus identified was spread wider than the tribal territory of the Silures into the nearby regions of what is now south-west England. We Britons have been a mixed race since the beginning. White supremacists, eat your hearts out.

Francis Beswick

Stretford

So in the past few days we have learned of another topic about which the American President clearly knows nothing. That is that movements in stock market rarely, if ever, have anything to do the strength of an economy. Is there ever going to come a point when the Americans finally realise they elected an idiot? I can’t see any other way to put it.

Steve Mumby

Bournemouth

Events marking the centenary of securing votes for women remind us of the great strides made since in democracy and equality of opportunity. Many also noted how much more there is still to achieve, for women as well as others who continue to be treated unfairly. Hopefully, the positive momentum will continue.

Yet unfortunately some of our modern advances and freedoms of expression have come with a new cost. There appears to be a growing tendency for personal attacks over the internet and in general discourse on issues about which people feel strongly.

Perhaps the worst examples appear on social media, involving all kinds of unacceptable abuse and intimidation. Even letters pages are not immune as some choose to focus not so much on the real issues but instead in trying to mock and deride those who do not agree with them. We all need to remember that respect for others is as important today as it was 100 years ago.

Keith Howell

West Linton

The gig economy is said to be an innovative platform for the self-employed to gain a prosperous lifestyle, but in reality it is nothing more than a Victorian workhouse and is leaving a trail of economic disaster for many of its workers. Exploitive franchises where drivers, after paying their insurance fuel costs and administration charges, are left with below the minimum wage. Unscrupulous companies are taking advantage of a large pool of migrant labour, where the operatives never question or complain, even when fined, for missing a day’s work through illness.

The Tories have made it far too easy to be a bad employer in the UK. Only a government under Jeremy Corbyn can now bring about radical change and stop the Victorian working practices riddling the UK.

David Heath

Brighton

Following on from Theresa May’s announcement on unpaid interns, can we be reassured that there are none such within the Palace of Westminster?

Geoff Forward

Stirling

Those MPs who are against leaving the EU and intend to maintain this position must have a conflict of interest whereby they are morally incapable of discharging the democratic will of the people. Simply, the Remainers must abstain from any involvement within both houses of Parliament during the Brexit process.

This country does not seek to reverse the outcome from general election because some don’t like the elected government. The referendum on the EU does not differ from any other election, so it is time to stop the dissent that seeks to undermine the democracy and sovereignty of the United Kingdom.

Stephie McCallum

Address supplied