Was Clarkson’s joke in poor taste?

YES

IT’S now more than half a century since the end of World War II, but would-be ‘comedians’ in this country are still getting mileage out of ‘Sieg Heil’ and ‘invading Poland’ jokes at the expense of the Germans (not the Russians who invaded that country at the same time). Small wonder that this pathetic type of British ‘ humour’ doesn’t travel well — not even to the United States. Despite his obvious popularity and recent elevation to the groves of academe by Oxford Brookes University, few would assert that Jeremy Clarkson’s opinions, as manifested on his TV programmes, are based upon rigorous, razor- sharp analysis: prejudice, more like. Germany has prospered considerably better than Britain since 1945 and is the world’s third largest economy. Britain needs all the European friends she can muster.

D. FISHER, Maidenhead, Berks.

NO

I MUST defend Jeremy Clarkson. The Top Gear team is a ray of light in the generally PC programming of the BBC. Isn’t it great how the Germans always want us to forget the war? If the situation had been reversed, can you imagine them ever letting us forget? Instead of responding to the ridiculous complaint from sense of humour bypass victim Lanbert Courth, the Beeb should have sent him a copy of another brilliant programme Jeremy made about the attitudes of other Europeans towards us Brits. When he got to Germany he spoke with a group of young people who still wanted to dominate us because ‘ze British don’t do zings in ze right vey’. All because some Brits have carpet in their bathrooms and individual rather than mixer taps! Don’t like our British humour, Mr Courth? Then don’t watch our TV.

Mrs TERESA MAHON, East Molesey, Surrey.