Sunk by bureaucrats

it’s unbelievable that Commodore Nick Cooke-Priest, captain of aircraft carrier HMs Queen elizabeth, has been sacked for allegedly using his official car for private use, even though he paid for the petrol (Mail).

Who are the petty, faceless, smallminded, bureaucratic penpushers who can destroy a senior officer’s career over something so trivial?

the commodore is responsible for our largest aircraft carrier costing £3.1 billion, plus the crew of 1,600 and 72 aircraft worth billions more, but MoD chiefs question him over his use of a £40,000 Ford Galaxy.

Why wasn’t this officer handed a quality car that befits his rank and status as a rightful perk for his ultimate level of responsibility?

He should be able to use a limo whenever he wants — even to go to tesco. incompetence obviously doesn’t only apply to our political class, but also to MoD chiefs.

KEITH MASSEY, York. i aM surprised that the Royal Navy is nitpicking over expenses and benefits. Would it not be prudent to put the naval department overlooking expenditure in charge of overseeing politicians’ expenses?

One crucial officer is dismissed from a position of enormous responsibility when hundreds of insignificant, self- serving MPs are able to abuse their public position.

COLIN NICOL, Sutton, Surrey. as a retired Merchant Navy captain, i believe the Royal Navy’s decision to remove the captain of HMs Queen elizabeth is correct.

as the senior officer, he must always set the example and abide by the rules, as he is both judge and jury in any disciplinary matter on his ship.

in addition, unauthorised use of a car would mean neither his own, nor the Navy’s, insurance would provide cover in the case of an accident.

DAVID SPENCER, Bridge, Kent.