Leaders in waiting

The synthetic outcry over Professor Blakemore's failure to earn a knighthood (Letters, January 4) is part of an ongoing and cynical PR campaign to portray vivisection as a progressive, humane endeavour in the teeth of the scientific evidence and the most basic ethical consideration. The public is right to be repelled by the scientific crudity and disregard for suffering at the heart of vivisection and if that's the true reason for this "snub", we commend the honours committee.
Alistair Currie
Campaigns coordinator, Peta-Europe

Few people question the bravery or scientific achievements of Colin Blakemore. However, rightly or wrongly, many colleagues and politicians question his stewardship of the Medical Research Council. He was not appointed to a second term as MRC chief executive.
Professor Antony Carr
Sussex University

How many people does the BBC have in the US? At this stage, how many different takes on the same information does it think is interesting? The presidential election proper is not for months (Race for the White House, January 4) and the results at the moment are not even particularly relevant to the final outcome. However, I already seem to have been told more or less the same thing by at least five different people on various radio and television channels.
Catherine Page
Brighton, East Sussex

Oliver James need look no further for a "passionate, charismatic, probably female leader" who would advocate the unselfish capitalism of our neighbours (Selfish capitalism is bad for our mental health, January 3). But Caroline Lucas, despite being an elected Green MEP, is not as well known as she should be due to our unfair electoral system, as well as most of the media, which more or less ignores the people and policies of any other than the two main parties.
Lucy Craig

Whisky tubes (Letters, passim) are great for bottles of cooking and olive oils which always seem to get oily on the outside. Especially good are the wider, squatter tubes of Bunnahabhain.
Mike Sheppard
Ware, Hertfordshire

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