Richard Barnes says the lack of meaningful action by Keir Starmer and David Lammy makes them complicit in everything Israel does. Plus letters from Hilary Lang, Mike Cowley and Janet Dubé

David Lammy is good with words. He says “we need an immediate ceasefire”, in response to Israel’s horrific double tap attack on Nasser hospital (Israel bombed Gaza hospital a second time, killing rescuers, say health officials, 25 August). But he is, as usual, hopeless at following up the fine words with any action.

Ofer Cassif makes clear that the UK government is already “complicit in this devastating human-made catastrophe” (Protests in Tel Aviv, army reservists refusing to serve: in Israel, more of us are saying no to this endless war, 25 August), but lists a number of steps that Keir Starmer and Lammy could take to end this complicity. These include the immediate unconditional recognition of Palestine, acknowledging Benjamin Netanyahu as a war criminal and supporting new West Bank sanctions. Above all, they must “recognise the people of Gaza as victims of a continuing genocide”, with the actions that would have to follow from that under the genocide convention.

Omiros Tsapalos, from the Greek ministry of finance, responds to an article about his compatriots’ ability to take a holiday

Your article concludes that while foreign visitors can savour Greece’s natural beauty and other joys of their country, for Greeks such pleasures have become a bittersweet memory (‘The Thailand of Europe’: foreigners live holiday dreams in Greece but locals priced out, 20 August). We beg to differ, because the evidence points exactly to the opposite.

Every year the Greek statistical authority, Elstat, publishes its Survey on Qualitative Characteristics of Resident Tourists. The July 2025 edition presents comprehensive evidence that Greek residents’ trips and nights spent on trips for leisure, recreation and holidays have been rising since 2021. Both the number of trips and the total number of nights spent on vacations are at their peak for the past decade. The overwhelming majority (more than 85%) of Greeks’ vacations take place within Greece, and more than 70% occur in the summer months of June, July and August.

Omiros Tsapalos, from the Greek ministry of finance, responds to an article about his compatriots’ ability to take a holiday

Your article concludes that while foreign visitors can savour Greece’s natural beauty and other joys of their country, for Greeks such pleasures have become a bittersweet memory (‘The Thailand of Europe’: foreigners live holiday dreams in Greece but locals priced out, 20 August). We beg to differ, because the evidence points exactly to the opposite.

Every year the Greek statistical authority, Elstat, publishes its Survey on Qualitative Characteristics of Resident Tourists. The July 2025 edition presents comprehensive evidence that Greek residents’ trips and nights spent on trips for leisure, recreation and holidays have been rising since 2021. Both the number of trips and the total number of nights spent on vacations are at their peak for the past decade. The overwhelming majority (more than 85%) of Greeks’ vacations take place within Greece, and more than 70% occur in the summer months of June, July and August.

Nobody learns accurate history from observing a statue, writes Claudia Beresford

In response to the suggestion that removing statues is sanitising or censoring history (Letters, 24 August): statues are not a way of teaching or preserving history, they are a means of glorifying whoever or whatever is represented. Often they are outright forms of propaganda.

Nobody learns accurate history from observing a statue. What they do is indicate that the values of the subject align with the values of the community, that their behaviour or achievements are approved of.

Nobody learns accurate history from observing a statue, writes Claudia Beresford

In response to the suggestion that removing statues is sanitising or censoring history (Letters, 24 August): statues are not a way of teaching or preserving history, they are a means of glorifying whoever or whatever is represented. Often they are outright forms of propaganda.

Nobody learns accurate history from observing a statue. What they do is indicate that the values of the subject align with the values of the community, that their behaviour or achievements are approved of.

Growing pains | Well, look… | A slice of life | Spectacle cases | Saint George

Any five-year-old can grow runner beans (Letters, 24 August)? Not this year. After more than 40 years of growing vegetables, the drought has defeated me. Repeated sowings and constant watering eventually yielded a few sickly runners that struggled up the canes. A handful of beans have presented themselves. Next year, I think I’ll look for some sort of edible cactus. Or maybe plant an olive grove.
Anne Dyas
Dorridge, West Midlands

• I’m so tired of hearing politicians, when being interviewed, prefixing what they say with “Well, look…” or just “Look…” No, I won’t be told to look, and where am I supposed to look in any case? I have taken to looking at the floor (and counting to 10). Can something be done? I am almost prepared to vote for anyone who desists from this practice – whatever they might go on to say.
Dale R Hewitt
Romsey, Hampshire