Our nation needs to display real unity

I AM 90 and after a career teaching history I have a deep sense of failure at the ignorance of history.

British colonial history is brilliant, not shameful.

Firstly we went to trade in spices etc, not rob. In 1806 our Parliament abolished the slave trade and slavery in 1833.

In the next 100 years constitutional government was given to people of the Empire. They showed their gratitude by sending volunteers to fight for our democracy in two world wars and in joining the Commonwealth.

There have always been sections of society that have felt resentful and under-valued, but our open democratic society has allowed these issues to be addressed in time, especially as we are all equal British citizens.

At this time the nation needs to display unity, discipline and patriotism, as in 1940, if we are to succeed in defeating this pandemic.

P Wilson. Nuneaton.

So much confusion again from leaders

I AGREE with a recent letter expressing confusion over the use of face masks.

From the very start the government and its so called experts advised us that they offered little or no protection – or was that due to the shameful lack of masks we had which caused huge problems for our brilliant NHS staff.

But now we must all wear them to visit the same shops we have been visiting for the past three months without them.

And for some reason we don’t need to wear them in pubs or restaurants.

This government has certainly been consistent throughout this pandemic with one thing...complete confusion.

J. Harlow, Coventry.

JULY 23, 1968: Pinocchio three years old and 29in high is one of the smallest ponies in the country. He is one of the attractions at Coventry Zoo Park, where even his young admirers have to bend over to feed him.