Letter from the editor: Conquering the world

There are so many benefits of holding the position I do that it would be difficult to list all of them. (And I’m not just talking about the features editor’s fabulous banana cake, of which another slice was presented to me as I embarked on today’s letter.

It’s truly magnificent – the cake not the letter, that is – and Lisa has promised to share her recipe with us in next week’s food pages. Watch out for it.)

But by far the most rewarding aspect of my job is the daily to and fro with our readers. Your comments are invariably a joy to read and there was a bigger than usual post bag yesterday, with what has become known as “Staplegate” attracting a big response.

The vast majority of readers are in favour of the staples, and Keith of Dover spoke for the i nation: “You are now my staple diet. Mess with it at your peril!” Ken Ashton of Prestatyn, meanwhile, had a rebuke for those who don’t like the staples because they can’t split the paper up. “There are two easy solutions,” he writes. “Either buy His and Hers copies – at 20p each, still a bargain – or remove the staples. Simples.”

Then there are the readers who take a proprietorial interest in i. Like Barbara Harrison of Mold, who goes into her local shop every day and makes sure i is displayed correctly. Or, like Edwin Bulley, of Middlesex, who was in a small shop in Dorset and couldn’t find a copy of i. He proceeded to explain the virtues of this paper and the shop now has a regular order and sells eight copies a day! Inch by inch, day by day, we will conquer the world. Our latest circulation figures – released today – will show that all your efforts are working. We can’t thank you enough. Happy weekend!