Labour’s lost love for our cultural heritage

So, Sir Keir Starmer is putting the Downing Street portrait of Shakespeare in storage – a bit of a blow for our cultural heritage!

Just as Boris Johnson evoked the image of the ebullient Falstaff, a party man if ever there was one, so does Starmer exemplify the portrait of the charmless, rather feeble Justice Shallow from Shakespeare’s canon.

It is not too late for our Labour leaders to connect to our culture. Or is it that they chose to forget our literary heritage in favour of stealth taxes and the impoverishment of working people?

It reminds me of the Controller in Brave New World banning copies of the works of the Bard, except that he kept one for himself. But I doubt Starmer is interested.

Marguerite Rossini

Essex

Clearly, Dr Anthony Ingleton is fortunate enough to not have diabetes (Someone to smartwatch over me, Letters, 20 October).

I have had type 1 diabetes for over 45 years, and I can safely say that the development in recent times of smartwatches and mobile phone apps that monitor blood glucose have been truly life-changing.

No longer do I have to fear any kind of activity, stress or changes in temperature, without taking a set of testing kits with me. I can just look at my phone, and so can my family members, to see that I’m OK. And if I’m not, these apps can give me an early warning to do something about it.

Anyone who has dealt with a friend or family member in the throes of a “hypo” will appreciate the vastly improved control that this technology provides. For those suffering from diabetes, smartwatches help to prevent the long list of side effects that we can otherwise look forward to.

Emma Thompson

Leicestershire

Donald Trump has taken some time out to “work” at McDonald’s (Is this the publicity stunt that secures the White House for ‘McDonald Trump’?, News, 21 October).

He could look for a permanent job there if his present job application fails in November…

There are even a few McDonald’s characters whose role he could fill. Perhaps the Hamburglar, as he tried to steal an election in 2020 – or Grimace, the well-meaning simpleton. Or even Ronald McDonald himself, a clown in yellow.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne

The introduction of legislation to remove the remaining 92 hereditary peers from the House of Lords is to be welcomed (Hereditary nobles have sat in Britain’s parliament for centuries. Their time may be up, News, 14 October).

But a very easy next step would be to remove the 26 Church of England bishops. Known as the Lords spiritual, these individuals have an automatic right to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

Their role is active and influential in law-making. Not only do they speak, vote, and serve on committees like other peers, but bishops are subject to a number of privileges. They enjoy privileged speaking rights over other peers – when a bishop wants to speak, others are expected to give way.

Ours is the only legislature outside of Iran that automatically includes religious representatives. The bishops represent nothing other than the Church of England, an anachronism in an increasingly secular society.

There should be no reserved seats in parliament for any one religion. The current arrangement is a clear violation of the principles surrounding freedom of religion and belief, as well as equal treatment before the law. With the hereditary peers removed, the continued inclusion of the bishops becomes even more bizarre.

Alex Orr

Edinburgh

It’s a shame that The Independent’s coverage of expected changes to inheritance tax in the Budget has, so far, contained no positive thoughts about such proposals (Inheritance tax to rise in Budget as Reeves plans to hit well-off, News, 19 October).

When 90 per cent of the wealth of the country is owned by the wealthiest half of the population, how can this be changed if wealthy estates stay within families in perpetuity?

The current rules allow the children of two parents to inherit at least £650,000 tax-free – unimaginable wealth for most people.

Perhaps the unpopularity of inheritance tax with the 95 per cent of the population who will never have to pay it can be explained by the relentless negative reporting across the media.

Martin Collinson

Address supplied