In the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher was of course known as “the milk snatcher”.

Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Education, will go down in history as the “free school meal snatcher” (because of his failure to extend the eligibility for free school meals) and the “schools snatcher”.

I wonder if, in the next few weeks, we will see supermarkets offering “schools for schools vouchers” instead of the current vouchers which offer sports equipment and so on. Capital investment in education looks ruined, but at least you can set up your own free school. Free schools paid for by the Building Schools for the Future programme.

The education “reforms” we will see over the parliament will simply be highlighted by the draconian cuts we will see that hit schools which are currently leaving head teachers in fear. Luke Charters-Reid, Woodlands Farm, Flaxton, York.

• Our new Education Minister, Michael Gove, has apparently made a number of blunders already.

These are nothing compared with his decision to refuse funds for urgent and essential improvement schemes in existing schools while promising funds for parents who wish to set up so-called “free” schools of their own.

These parents are deluded if they imagine they can really create a successful school from scratch, and if they continue with their scheme they should also feel guilty knowing that any money they may obtain will have been diverted from much-needed projects elsewhere.

Jean Frost, Heworth, York.