Greece Outside In: Cherish our historic houses and don't begrudge the cost

They attract tourists and are a vital part of the culture of our nation

Catherine Bennett asks what support should be provided to secure the future of Britain's historic houses ("Why should we save the houses of the rich and famous?" Comment).

Financial support is available only for those which open to the public and which play an important part in the cultural and economic life of our nation. Thirteen million people a year visit historic houses in private ownership, plus the many millions more who visit National Trust and English Heritage properties. Visiting historic houses, castles and gardens is the most often quoted reason for people to visit the UK.

Without some degree of support many privately owned historic houses would be sold, usually to people who could afford to close their doors to the public. It is quite right that expenditure should be constantly challenged. However, that debate should take into account the contribution of historic houses, in generating jobs, incomes and tax revenues, and in enriching our understanding of our past and its cultural legacy.

Edward Harley

President, Historic Houses Association

Going with the Flo

In politics, there's not much time to consider the deeper existential questions, like "what is art for?" and "how can we best understand its value"? (Agenda). Yet these are the questions we've been forced to ponder. Henry Moore sold Draped Seated Woman to London County Council in 1962 at the market rate of £7,400 for the Stifford estate in Stepney. When the estate was demolished it was sent to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park where it has resided for the last 15 years, far away from the East Enders for whom it was intended.

Tower Hamlets Council looked into ways it might be brought back but given the very real threat of theft, "Old Flo" was impossible to insure. Since then, we've had £100m in cuts imposed on us; there have been welfare and housing reforms and the axing of the education maintenance grant , health budgets and early years funding.

Sooner or later, something has to give. I see this as an opportunity to help the 25,000 people on our housing waiting list. Moore was an ardent socialist. I believe a Henry Moore House, providing high quality social housing to the very communities he wanted to help with his art is something the great man may have been proud of.

Lutfur Rahman

Mayor, Tower Hamlets

My credentials are sound, sir

Peter Preston ("The grass wouldn't be much greener with an Irish-style ombudsman", Business) implies that I am not at all the independent ombudsman that Leveson prescribes because I am a journalist turned politician. I am not aware that Leveson has so far prescribed anything but, be that as it may, Mr Preston's description of me is extraordinarily reductive. I have not been employed as a journalist since 1976, and have not been in representative politics since 1983. It would be helpful if Mr Preston could indicate what characteristics he believes a press ombudsman should have.

Professor John Horgan

Press ombudsman, Ireland

Public school prejudices

Will Hutton ("Don't blame teachers for the shortcomings of our system", The big issue) is right that the public school system is a hindrance to social mobility, but is wrong to assume that all the children attending them are from wealthy backgrounds. We send our son to private school because he has special educational needs that the state system has failed to cope with. This private education is paid for by a grandparent and is all of our inheritance. And the wealthy, and not so wealthy like us, are making "donations" to state schools in the form of taxes which fund the state system from which our child gains no benefit. I wouldn't dream of asking for my share back even if this were an option, but we should avoid this view that all privately educated children are from wealthy backgrounds.

Alison Walker

Darlington

Co Durham

Greece is the EU's shame

Nick Cohen reminded us ("Greece flirts with tyranny and Europe looks away", Comment) that the Greek people, once again, are the victims of deficiencies in others. The austerity programme proposed by the troika will continue with no clear, or likely, resolution. Meanwhile Golden Dawn marches in black shirts, proposes mining the Turkish frontier, closes theatres because of productions with a gay theme and suggests blood banks only for use by Greek citizens. Did we not in the 30s learn about the way in which extreme deprivation feeds fascism? Was it not part of the founding principle of the EU that we should be protected from political excesses? Greece must be helped through a transition which re-establishes the drachma so that the nation can compete.

Bryan Ferriman

Kenilworth

Ooh, I don't fancy that

There wouldn't be much pleasure to be found in drinking armagnac if it was made in the way described in the article "Brandy Galore" in the Magazine. The process is based on the distillation of wine, not of grapes. Distillation of grapes would produce a sticky mess, not eau de vie.

Peter Wiseman

High Peak, Derbyshire