Between us, united, we can still force politicians to glimpse something of our beliefs and even compel them to adopt them It’s worth the try.Ian FlintoffLondon SW6. Exclusive! Thanks to an accidental excursion on The Into-Net, football’s worldwide web of information, I can reveal the casenotes made by Inspector Cracker of the Yard (retired) into the “mystery on Flight CX251″ which has so exercised the nation this week. That territory is loosely what we call “the arts”, including Billy Bragg’s own form of creativity.When elsewhere the political going has been rough and politicians have lost their ideological guts, people like Mercouri, Havel and Arthur Miller held fast and, happily, sometimes proved victorious in the long run.We are precisely in such a position in Britain today. No political party is fit to govern, in the sense that all lack the imaginative and purposeful sweep that our country desperately needs.Frankly we failed entirely in the 1980s to create an arts movement to oppose the barbarisms that were being perpetrated But it is not too late Come back, Billy Bragg Join forces with others who share your passions.

Many of us who care about the Labour Party, democracy, young people and the need for radical change will greatly regret the departure of Billy Bragg from political activism within Labour (“New Labour loses Billy Bragg’s voice”, 26 May). With the relentless ditching of ideological commitment it may be that people like him are needed more now than ever. He also rightly says that Arts for Labour, of which I was the founding secretary in 1981, has become a photo-opportunity for candidates and soap- opera stars. This need not have become the case, nor remain so.
When political ideals cave inthere remains one territory where ideas, ideals and convictions can be noisily aired and spread. This could have very detrimental consequences for the competitive position of the industry against international suppliers.
James McAdamBritish Apparel and Textile ConfederationLondon W1. Whilst politics and the media began an orgy of thinly veiled gay-bashing when Ms Brown’s decision not to accept tickets for Romeo and Juliet was revealed two years ago, Brown herself quietly got on with the job of managing her successful primary school.

We should also recall the overwhelming local support that she received from parents and governors throughout the time of “crisis”. That they were adamant she was doing fine work is powerful evidence of her competence and suitability for the post of inspector

Karen Triggs
London EC1. Ian McCartney states that “more and more companies support the principle of a minimum wage” (Letters, 26 May). This is certainly not the case in the clothing and textile industry which numbers some 13,000 companies and employs 380,000.

Although average earnings are in excess of pounds 4 per hour, a minimum wage at or above that will require increases in basic pay levels of as much as 30 per cent in some sectors, which will have a devastating effect on incentive payments systems and consequently productivity. That Jane Brown, Hackney headteacher, has become a schools inspector is a victory for common sense (” ‘Romeo and Juliet’ row head becomes a school inspector”, 26 May). The recent victory over the RFU by the clubs, in the drawn-out debate on professionalism, will further reduce the “Twickers and Chablis” influence, and players of merit rather than privilege will become the norm. Then the democratisation of the game will be complete.
M T LiveseyBristol, Avon. Were Mr Hewett to sit on the terraces among the 75,000 at internationals, Pilkington Cup finals, or among the smaller crowds at club games, he would find Hooray Henrys thin on the ground. It’s mainly beer and burgers for the ordinary Rugby Union fan.

His description of the “smoked salmon and Chablis” of the Twickenham culture bears little resemblance to reality. It might apply to the old brigade of corporate hospitality, inter-service games and the anachronistic Oxbridge event with each team vying to see how many post-grad players from other institutions they can include, but it certainly does not describe the true aficionado. I wonder if Chris Hewett inhabits the same world as the majority of rugby supporters (“The union empire strikes back”, 26 May). As one for whom a shopping trip involves an obstacle course that would qualify me for active service in a tank regiment, it is unsurprising that I, and presumably most other motorists, traverse the final sleeping policeman in a rather militaristic frame of mind.
When I also calculate that the series of ridges, humps and games of “chicken” played with trucks through a mile-long concrete slalom have rendered it necessary to make appointments with the garage, the doctor, the dentist, the osteopath and the bank manager, an appearance in the County Court seems a fairly predictable sequel.Sierra Hutton-WilsonEvercreech, Somerset. Any psychology student looking for a project might consider researching a possible link between “road rage” and the proliferation of “traffic- calming” schemes (“Road rage suspect ruled out”, 26 May).