The letter below is what I received today in response to my letter to Nicky Morgan – posted on this site a few weeks ago – about the effective banning of American authors from GCSE English Literature being taught from September 2015.

I am not surprised it isn’t from Nicky Morgan but is instead sent by one of her lackeys. I am also not in the least surprised – though obviously both disappointed and incensed – to receive this complete regurgitation of the entire narrative I had so carefully unpicked and challenged. This isn’t disagreement with my argument: it is completely ignoring that argument. It is thus – and I think this is beyond a simple matter of opinion – risible, insulting, patronising and despicable. My more trenchant argument and response will be in the letter I write in return, probably not today for obvious reasons, and posted here when finished.