Letters in brief

Sir: While I agree with Suzanne Moore (Friday Review, 31 July) that the Clinton-Lewinsky debate has become very tedious, Ms Moore's assertion that no-one has the right to use power over another is pure fantasy.

As much as we don't like to admit it, we all lie and we all use power over others. We use the power of intellect, position, age and authority. Where does a power relationship between people not exist?

Perhaps in the nirvana that is the moral high ground politicians tell the truth and everyone is equal, but until we reach the upper strata occupied by Ms Moore then we mere mortals will have to muck along the best we can, nasty little humans that we are.

PETER DA VANZO

London N3

Sir: Kevin Gaston suggests that requiring lottery millionaire winners to serve in an upper chamber would give all adults an equal opportunity of participating (Letters, 31 July). He is wrong. The intelligent section of the population which never buys lottery tickets would be excluded.

JANE COOPER

Northampton

Sir: Any new national anthem (Letters, 3 August) should continue to reflect the loyalty of most British people to our monarchy, which has played an integral part in our country's proud history. It was because James VI of Scotland (from whom our present Prince of Wales descends 17 times) inherited the English throne as James I that Great Britain came into existence; and with modern developments of devolution the unifying power of our sovereign will be increasingly needed.

MRS JENNIFER MILLER

London SW15

SIR: "Care in the community was based on lofty and widely held ideals" (30 July). No it wasn't. That was the attractive phrase that Mrs Thatcher used, successfully, to con us all into believing that she had the interests of the patients at heart. But no money was ever found to carry out the caring. Mrs Thatcher emptied the big mental hospitals to sell them.

DR HELEN GRANT

London NW3