Letters | 28 March 2013

Right to say NO

Sir: Three cheers for the Spectator NO! (‘Why we aren’t signing’, 23 March). I would rather be informed by the slimiest of Fleet Street’s journalists or the rudest blogger than any one of Westminster’s incompetents.
Dr A.E. Hanwell
York
 
Sir: Perhaps our newsagents should split the papers they sell into sections marked ‘Free Press’ and ‘Other’. I know which one I’d choose.
Leo Bajzert
Sydney, Australia

The house price problem

Sir: Charles Moore (The Spectator’s Notes, 23 March) blames the astronomic rise in house prices on planning restrictions — a point of view endorsed by the Chancellor and by Nick Boles, the planning minister.

Britain is, of course, a small island with a fixed land area, some of it protected until now by planning laws. But that restriction on supply is only a small part of the relentless upward pressure on house prices. The major impetus has come through the relentless promotion of demand through cheap mortgage credit over the past 30 years and, after that pack of cards came tumbling down in 2008, quantitative easing, which has done precious little to promote economic growth but has leaked almost in its entirety into the asset markets.

You could pave over the remaining open spaces to your heart’s content, but downward pressure on house prices will be minimal so long as real interest rates (measured against the expected future price of houses) stay negative.
Alan Doyle
Sunbury on Thames, Surrey

Enthusiastic amateurs

Sir: Matthew Parris (‘Why do amateur performers still flourish?’ 23 March) entirely misses the point. The motivation of any amateur is the creation of beauty, its sharing with others, and the love of the art.

Music is integral to all our lives. Professional musicians do wonderful things, as do amateurs. As a teenager, I decided not to attempt to earn a living with my music, as I loved my music far too much (and still do).