Letters

21 June 2008

Spectator readers respond to recent articles

Vicky Tuck
Principal, Cheltenham Ladies’ College and president, Girls’ Schools Association, Gloucestershire

Casting aspersions on Poles

Sir: It was with deep disappointment that I read Rachel Johnson’s article. The illustration accompanying it depicts a gaunt, shabbily dressed young woman in a T-shirt with ‘Polska’ emblazoned on it chatting on a mobile phone while neglecting a child in her care. To drive the message home the article refers to ‘Agnieszka from Gdansk, who doesn’t really give a monkey’s’. While the article’s focus is on certain societal problems, the particularly Polish references are strongly negative.

The story does mention the ‘plight’ of Eastern European au pairs — Iveta who sobs in her bedroom after ironing her master’s underwear. In doing so, it mocks rather than sympathises with girls in similar situations. I would invite you to investigate matters more thoroughly before printing such material. I suspect that Ms Johnson has not conducted in-depth research on the work ethic of au pairs, Polish or otherwise.

Gabriel Olearnik
Secretary-general, Polish City Club, London SW10

Ulster didn’t fight for right

Sir: For 30 years the Protestant people and culture of Ulster sought British help as the IRA tried to destroy them both. For 30 years mainland Britain defended, subsidised, protected, supported, guarded and upheld the Protestant community, politically called the Ulster Unionists. The overwhelming majority of that support came from the British Conservatives, with any support for the IRA coming from the British Left.