SIR – A Shipman’s extolment of Prime Minister Clement Attlee (T&A, December 15) is hardly justified as he was the one who abolished hard labour in prisons, paving the way for habitual criminals to treat incarceration today as a sojourn before resuming their nefarious lifestyle.

They are not the slightest bit perturbed about returning to what to them is their second home because they know they have countless do-gooders looking after their ‘welfare’. Besides which, they get free bed and board and are able to watch TV to their hearts’ content without having to lift a finger.

We are all prone to the odd peccadillo, but in the eyes of many, ‘Clem’ made a big bloomer when making this ludicrous decision.

David Rhodes, Croscombe Walk, Bradford