John Smith and Mo Mowlam led the original prawn cocktail offensive | Letters

Labour is rightly pursuing the “prawn cocktail offensive 2.0” with business leaders, but the first offensive was not led by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown (Report, 23 October). It began when John Smith was the shadow chancellor, and Mo Mowlam was one of its leading lights. Disparaging its success, Michael Heseltine said: “Never have so many crustaceans died in vain.”
Paul Richards
Eastbourne, East Sussex

The letters on Hartshead Moor services (23 October) reminded me of a story told by the late John Peel. On his way home from DJ-ing in Newcastle late one night, he called in at Washington services on the A1(M) and was surprised to see Morrissey hunched over a cup of tea. Peel asked what he was doing there, and Morrissey replied: “Well, it’s my favourite service station.”
Ben Ruston
Richmond, North Yorkshire

Vince Cable “laments the dismantling of his legacy” (‘You have to be thick-skinned’: what is it like to lose the status of a top job?, 25 October). He was directly responsible for splitting Royal Mail from the Post Office and privatising these treasured national assets. I certainly do lament his legacy, as his Tory allies allow both to fail.
Chris Hardy
West Wittering, West Sussex

I once taught at a school where, at lunchtime one day, the children were talking loudly as they ate. The master in charge stopped the noise and said: “Dinners will be eaten in silence until you show me you can talk quietly” (Letters, 25 October).
Peggy Nicholson
Littlehampton, West Sussex

I was born in 1936, the Year of the Three Kings. I’d rather like to survive the Year of the Three PMs – or are there more in waiting?
Robin Milner-Gulland
Washington, West Sussex