Are the government profiting from pollution? Readers weigh in

Aerial view of traffic jam on M25 motorway. There is a large winding road with many cars on. Some green space and a pond is visible,
Readers debate the new Frankenstein film, Sarah Pochin’s comments and the state of the UK’s roads (Picture: Getty Images)

Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments

Was the new Frankenstein film full of 'presumptuous liberties'?

Regarding your review of the new Frankenstein film (Metro, Fri). I watched it expecting the usual tampering with classic literature but the extent of Guillermo Del Toro’s grotesque distortion was such that Mary Shelley would have been hard put to recognise her tale.

It would take up too much space to list all the presumptuous liberties this director has taken with the original.

Why do these arrogant directors keep deluding themselves they can do better than the author and ‘improve’ on the original work?

It’s sheer impudence and leads to this vulgar travesty of a perfectly good tale. If one wants a sensitive treatment of the story, read Shelley’s book.
Peter Foreman, Bradford-on Avon

Where did Halloween originate?

Regarding your 60 Seconds feature on Halloween (Metro, Fri). You say the tradition was exported to the US ‘when the potato famine drove more than one million Irish immigrants’ across the Atlantic. Anyone with a basic grasp of history knows it was the British genocide of the Irish that caused this forced emigration. The potato blight was just a part of that. Tim, Tunbridge Wells

Mother and daughter carving pumpkin for halloween decoration in front of wooden house
This reader says ‘Anyone with a basic grasp of history knows it was the British genocide of the Irish that caused this forced emigration’ (Picture: Getty Images)

What is a bone fire?

During the pagan pre-Halloween celebration of Samhain, bonfires were lit to ensure the sun would return after the winter. Often, druid priests would throw the bones of cattle into the flames and hence ‘bone fire’ became ‘bonfire’. Frank, Somerset

Reader agrees, there are too many cars on the road

I agree with Roy (MetroTalk, Mon) that there are now so may cars – many of which are so large – that we must accept things such as clean air zones in city centres.

Got a question about UK politics?

Send in yours and Metro’s Senior Politics Reporter Craig Munro will answer it in an upcoming edition of our weekly politics newsletter. Email alrightgov@metro.co.uk or submit your question here.

I do not, however, agree with the way local authorities are doing this, by using these schemes as income generators.

If the purpose is to really stop polluting vehicles, why are they still allowed by paying a fee?

In France the most polluting vehicles are banned outright. Pedro, Hammersmith

Reader says they saw ‘non-white’ people ‘leafleting on behalf of Reform’

Reform Party UK press conference, the economy, London
This reader says Sarah Pochin should ‘avoid Barkingside in east London’ (Picture: Getty Images)

Regarding Reform MP Sarah Pochin’s complaint that TV ads are ‘full of black people, full of Asian people’. She should probably avoid Barkingside in east London, near where I live.

On a couple of recent Saturday visits to the high street I noticed two or three people leafleting on behalf of Reform – and they were all non-white. Colin Price, Ilford

Resident punny reader returns to the saddle

To be or not to be a horse rider? That is equestrian. Jeff, Nuneaton

Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments

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