Convictions

One of your correspondents insists that Todd Muller be clear of his convictions. I agree: he must; and he could start with his recent comments on the Government’s newly-announced Income Relief Payments.

Mr Muller has said he does not want a two-tiered system for beneficiaries, adding that benefit payments ‘‘should ideally be the same’’. Does Mr Muller suggest more money for job seekers who lost their jobs before Covid-19, or less money for those who lost their jobs after Covid-19? One assumes Mr Muller prefers the latter. But he does not say it.

I think Mr Muller is concerned about looking insensitive and mean. In the wake of the Bridges backlash, I can quite understand this. But, at this present time, such terrible ambiguity is unlikely to mark him out as a proper alternative to Bridges, who, agree with him or not, was always perfectly clear in his meaning.

With the September election fast approaching, Todd Muller must learn not to pussyfoot around things, or he risks showing up the leadership coup as the panic-stricken ploy for votes that it almost certainly was.

Seth Capillago, St Albans