David Winnick (Letters, 23 August) notes that I was critical of those standing for parliament at a young age, and goes on to say: “Clearly, he was not of that view when he stood as a candidate in Devon North in 1970, when he was 22.” No indeed. One learns as one gets older. I refer him to my memoir, Hinterland: “At the grand old age of 22 I was far too young and immature to represent anyone …”
Chris Mullin
Former MP for Sunderland South
• “Stop calling me boring, Keir Starmer tells shadow cabinet” (Report, 14 June 2022), but then he accepts free tickets to a Coldplay concert in Manchester (More than 100 MPs received freebies worth £180,000 this summer, 23 August). You aren’t helping, Keir.
Bill Bradbury
Bolton, Greater Manchester
