Just when some of us were beginning to think the Green Party was more than a collection of over-zealous vegetarians, Oxford city councillor Nuala Young puts the movement back a dozen years with her ridiculous suggestion to sell off part of the city's 'family silver' (Oxford Mail, February 1). More than 40 items for half a million quid - is that all the city's history is worth?

And what would the so-called windfall be used for?

To pay off the debt incurred by some cock-eyed politically correct scheme that has proved extra-costly and unsatisfactory?

If women find the picture, The Rape of the Sabine Women, by da Cortona, overpowering and dark, they shouldn't look.

The same goes for Reni's Salome, with the head of John the Baptist.

It is fortunate Salome wasn't so squeamish, otherwise there would be one fascinating yarn missing from the New Testament.

I suppose we should be pleased that Ms Young did not suggest recycling these pictures, either by having them shredded or by asking some Green-inclined modern artist to paint over the canvasses and produce scenes of bunny rabbits skipping in sun-lit meadows.

Oh dear. I hope I haven't put ideas into her head.

PETER UNSWORTH Chipping Warden