Nothing to be proud of, Boris
■ WHEN asked what would be most likely to blow a government off course, former Conservative Prime Minister Harold Macmillan reportedly answered, “Events, dear boy, events.”
This phrase could easily be applied to Boris Johnson. He was the darling of the country following his landslide victory in December which guaranteed our leaving the EU after years of dithering.
Shortly after there were unprecedented floods, followed by the pandemic and his own serious illness with Covid-19 – all out of his control. However, some of the events since such as the tardiness of the lockdown, passengers left unchecked at UK airports, the slowness of testing, lack of PPE, the Dominic Cummings affair, and spiralling care-home deaths are all due to this Government’s failings.
It seems new Labour leader Keir Starmer only has to sit on his hands and watch the debacle unfold. Although we are four years away from a general election, I believe the Conservatives may have already lost it.
Jim Sokol, Minehead, Somerset
■ Boris Johnson claimed he is very proud of his Government’s handling of the pandemic. I am appalled. How dare he boast when the death toll has now reached more than 40,000 due to his Government’s incompetence.
This Government failed to prepare, failed to protect us and failed to isolate soon enough and now many feel he is releasing lockdown too early. He refuses to take constructive criticism and ignores offers of support from the opposition.
His boasts of what he has achieved so far are insulting and offensive when so much more could have been done to prevent deaths. His approach is incompetent and reckless. Amanda Brown
Pulham St Mary, Norfolk
■ We supposedly live in a democracy but what’s democratic about a Prime Minister making his aide into the most powerful man in the country, who appears to be a law unto himself ?
Johnson believes his Eton education makes him more intelligent than the lower classes he despises.
His spineless Cabinet aren’t any better and just trot out the lines he feeds them. How do they sleep at night? Comfortably I expect with their large fortunes.
Jim Temlett, Dursley, Glos
■ I am furious at the way the Government has handled the pandemic. They appeared to be asleep in January and February, and when they finally awoke to the problem, they were in a state of total confusion.
We are an island and it should have been imperative for us to close our land and sea borders early. From day one they announced that they were taking the lead from science – fine, but it didn’t appear to be accompanied by any common sense.
They should have thrown a ring of steel around care homes from February and employed the armed forces to deal with PPE shortages.
It’s all been too little, too late and now the death toll has topped 40,000.
J Hinchliff, Bury, Gtr Manchester
■ I doubt Boris Johnson will be leading the Tories into the next election. I’m sure there are already rumblings of discontent from “the men in grey suits” and the 1922 Committee. Johnson’s performance, and total lack of judgment and leadership must make them wince.
I honestly thought we couldn’t have a worse Government than David Cameron’s lot. Oh, how wrong I was!
H Igoe, Leeds