Squabbling Tory rivals should grow up or the party will be unelectable
SIR – If childish petty squabbles and briefings by new rivals for the leadership of the Conservative Party interfere in any way with the Brexit negotiations, the future of the party will be put at serious risk.
An ambitious MP might think that he is furthering his own cause, but he could end up leading an unelectable Conservative Party, letting Corbyn in. He (and others) would not be forgiven, and I for one would have no further interest in voting for the Tories.
They should behave like adults and earn some respect in these difficult times. Martin Greenwood
Fringford, Oxfordshire
SIR – Theresa May has been heavily criticised by members of her party for the disastrous election result, on the grounds that she failed to listen to the people and engage with them as Labour did.
Some of her critics are trying to promote a watered-down version of Brexit, in which we only partially leave. It seems that they failed to listen to the majority of the public who voted to leave. The referendum was clear – Leave or Remain – even if senior politicians such as Philip Hammond attempt an alternative interpretation. Let the negotiating team get on with it. Keith Taylor
Hinton Cantiacorum, Herefordshire
SIR – If Philip Hammond is truly concerned about jobs and living standards, then why is he so keen to continue with the mass immigration that has pushed pay down towards the minimum wage and simultaneously pushed rents and house prices up?
Since mass immigration began under the Blair government, working people have seen their wages stagnate while inflation eats away at their value. After Brexit, a period of consolidation is needed, while the economy assimilates the millions of extra workers we already have and slowly returns to a more normal relationship between employers and employees.
Of course business leaders will complain that they must have the cheap labour they have grown accustomed to and which destroys any hope of employees bargaining for better pay and conditions. Minimumwage legislation is of no use unless you wish to earn the minimum wage.
Many of us aspire to much more and deeply resent being taken for granted by those earning 10 or 100 times the minimum wage, who show little empathy with those on low salaries. Andrew Kelsey
Royston, Hertfordshire
SIR – Proper debate is well nigh impossible these days. As soon as a policy emerges, it is given a name and thereafter people simply repeat the word endlessly without further discussion – soft or hard Brexit, dementia tax, austerity.
If we stopped using lazy nicknames for policies, and actually told it as it is, maybe election results would be different. Ian Macgregor
London N7