I read in the Gazette of 10 June that Grayling believes there is a straight choice between saving £220m from either criminal legal aid (budget £1bn) or the NHS (budget £109bn). This is classic divide-and-rule stuff that will not fool either lobby. But even on this faulty logic, he should be able to see that there is another choice – splitting it pro rata. In which case we would be cut by about £2m rather than £220m – quite a difference.

A former colleague of mine suggested we should all write to our MPs about price-competitive tendering. As I have a Labour MP and reckoned I might be preaching to the converted, I instead emailed my local Liberal Democrats to seek their party policy on the issue. Despite two attempts, I got nowhere – I was told it was a matter for me to take up with my own MP.

Either they cannot read or they do not want to see themselves quoted on the matter. A sad decline for a once respectable political party.

Ian Craine, London N15