How right Miss Reeves is to point out the reason for the lack of red roses on St George's day (Letters, May 2).

The first time I noticed TV broadcasters were not wearing them was in 1997. The national symbol of England had become a casualty of the upcoming General Election because New Labour had made the rose its own.

Given this was also the party of devolution, I remember thinking at the time how arrogant and manipulative this move was. First impressions, eh?

-Stephen Atkins, Frederickspears @btopenworld.com