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Letters

Wednesday, 23rd January 2008

Spectator readers respond to recent articles

Sir: Irwin Stelzer’s article (‘The true impact of Brown’s policies’, 19 January) makes a host of valid points, which the likes of the PM will doubtless ignore. That said, Mr Stelzer’s discomfort in regard to his and other non-doms being taxed on income and capital gains earned outside the UK should perhaps have been tempered by his highlighting the fact that foreigners in the US (or aliens as the US authorities characterise non-US citizens) are taxed by the Internal Revenue Service on their global assets and income, while also receiving no recognition of their charitable donations unless they happen to be to US-based charities. The US thus takes a similar view as the Inland Revenue where external gains are concerned.

Anthony J. Burnet
Garvald, East Lothian

Blair’s conversion

Sir: Charles Moore is wrong to condemn Ann Widdecombe’s remarks on Blair’s ‘conversion’ to Roman Catholicism (The Spectator’s Notes, 12 January). Blair’s government has done more than any other to diminish Christian influence in our society and his government adhered strictly to the secular/humanist/gay rights agenda for change. Why the Catholic Church should accept him, without any evidence of repentance, is beyond belief. Cynics would say that it has more to do with enhancing Blair’s quest to become the President of Europe than any real conviction in the doctrines of Roman Catholicism.

R. Crawford
Co. Down

Parrisites write

Sir: Sniglet, Matthew, is the answer to your problem (Another voice, 19 January). Sniglet is a word to describe a much-needed word which does not exist. It was coined at least 20 years ago in an excellent little book aptly called Sniglets. This book gave my family hours of entertainment. Our favourite definition was ‘hound-winding’, to describe the actions of a dog as it settles into its bed.

Anthea Del Mar
Hampshire

Sir: Following the appeal by Matthew Parris for examples of missing English words, it struck me that there is no collective noun for those who enjoy his witty and interesting articles. Could we be ‘Parrisites’?

Dr Norman Dawes
Bury St Edmunds

Fat, fatter, fattist

Sir: So Diana Rigg ‘can’t bear’ fat people, although she should be told that it is not only the hugely obese who wear those horrible leggings which do none of us any favours.

There are those of us who ‘can’t bear’ self-righteous, pretentious luvvies, but might be too kind to say so. May I suggest that we take out a fat-wa against her?

Patricia Kershaw
London NW7

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Letters

Spectator readers respond to recent articles

Brown bets the farm

The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Pre-Budget Report (PBR) was one of the most arresting political events of modern times.

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Tamzin Lightwater's unique take on the week

The Spectator's Notes

Charles Moore

In his speech announcing his Pre-Budget Report, Alistair Darling said that he was going to put up the top rate of income tax to 45 per cent from 2011, because he wanted the burden to be borne by ‘those who have done best out of the growth of the past decade’.