Only children are not lonely, readers insist
William Buckley from Reading expressed strong disagreement with the persistent myth that only children are lonely, responding to Kate Lawler's article on choosing to have one child. As an only child himself, he recalled adults asking leading questions like 'but don't you wish you had a brother or sister?' which he said were far from his mind. He noted research suggesting only children often have advanced verbal skills, academic success, confidence, and ability to handle solitude. He urged people to mind their own business regarding family size choices.
Siblings aren't always a blessing
Tania from London countered the assumption that siblings are always beneficial. She described how her older sister would ditch her for better activities, and her father played favorites, pitting them against each other. She noted that for every person with a great sibling relationship, she knows another who has major friction or estrangement.
Heatwave is an official term, not just summer weather
Matt from Sheffield clarified that 'heatwave' is an official meteorological term, not a casual description. He explained that the average July temperature is around 17C, so prolonged 32C temperatures qualify as a heatwave, contrary to a reader who questioned the term.
World Cup time off proposal flawed, says train driver
Paul from Braintree responded to a suggestion that businesses should let staff leave early to watch England's World Cup match. As a train driver and cycling fan, he pointed out that if the same logic applied, the railway would need to shut for nine weeks to cover three Grand Tours. He dismissed the idea as impractical.
Media reporting on Farage's crypto gift is legitimate, not a witch-hunt
Peter Brown from Cleckheaton rejected claims that Nigel Farage is a victim of a media witch-hunt. He argued the media is simply reporting Farage's undeclared £5 million crypto-gift, which triggered an official probe. Brown noted that Farage, a Dulwich College-educated former City broker, built a career on 'just asking questions' but now cries foul when Parliament questions him, triggering a costly by-election to avoid scrutiny.
Clacton by-election should be suspended pending investigation
Terry from Winnersh questioned why the Clacton by-election is not postponed until the investigation into Farage's finances concludes, implying that the election should not proceed while questions remain.
