If President Emmanuel Macron is truly committed to exploring the complexities of France’s colonial past with Algeria (Editorial, 9 February), then he could do a lot worse than make Gillo Pontecorvo’s great film The Battle of Algiers – banned in France for five years – mandatory viewing in French state schools.
Chris Entwistle
Tiptree, Essex
• You report that, when questioned why arrivals from countries seen as high risk are not being quarantined sooner, Downing Street “said no contracts had yet been awarded to hotels” (What can UK do to limit spread of South African Covid variant?, 8 February). What’s the matter? Have they run out of cronies ?
Charles Harris
London
• Being so preoccupied with human wellbeing, I make a plea for the birds in these temperatures. De-icing and renewing their water source, and providing a constant supply of food, will give us the reward of birdsong to celebrate the near end of lockdown.
Elaine Steane
Oxford
• It would be interesting to know if the number of photos of Boris Johnson in his butcher’s outfit (Ten years for breaking Covid travel rules? Borders are the latest Boris Johnson fail, 9 February) has overtaken the number of Theresa May going to church.
Mike Smith
Hythe, Southampton
• Never mind a holiday in the sun (‘Too early’ to book summer holidays even in UK, says Johnson, 10 February), I just want to go to the Netherlands to see my grandchildren.
Elizabeth Kerr
Ampthill, Bedfordshire
