On 6 May 1954, a young medical doctor called Roger Bannister ran four full laps of the Iffley Road track in Oxford in less time than it took for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal to die.It is hard to say which is the greater achievement. The four-minute mile or the four-minute failure. Both, in their way, pushed back the boundary of the possible. The world knew Bannister was good, but not that good. The world knows Boris Johnson is hopeless, but this bad?

In response to the changing meaning of the red poppy, Anthony Matthew argues that military pomp can hide the disaster of war, while Barbara Crowther describes a local memorial to all victims. The Royal British Legion has modified the meaning of the red remembrance poppies to include “innocent civilians who have lost their lives in conflict and acts of terrorism” ( Report, 16 October). This broadening of the scope of remembrance still falls short of that represented by the white poppies distributed by the Peace Pledge Union, which covers all those who have died in armed conflict, whether military or civilian, whatever side they belonged to. Only that way can war be remembered as a disaster, not something to be celebrated with military pomp. As well as the issue of who is to be remembered, there is also the question of how. That was the objection to the red poppy expressed by Harry Leslie Smith, the second world war veteran. He would not wear one because he refused to have it co-opted by politicians to justify wars. Despite what the Legion says, scarcely any of the millions who died in the past century or so of war, even those in the military, “gave” their lives: rather, their lives were taken. Nor was it a matter of sacrifice as if they offered themselves up instead of a lamb to be slaughtered. That represents them as willing victims, thereby absolving their governments from any responsibility for their deaths. Many willingly risked death, but nevertheless they sincerely hoped to survive. For those who did not, we should regret their loss, not regard it as a form of glory. Anthony Matthew Leicester . The natural burial ground close to the battlefield at Edge Hill, Warwickshire, has a special corner with a commemorative cairn for “all those who died in conflicts near and far”. Inscribed on a slate are Thomas Paine’s words: “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” Barbara Crowther Leamington Spa, Warwickshire . Join the debate - email guardian.letters@theguardian.com . Read more Guardian letters - click here to visit gu.com/letters . Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers? Click here to upload it and we’ll publish the best submissions in the letters spread of our print edition

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