‘The country calls out for leadership, what we get is a tuppenny arcade Churchill...’

FIRSTLY, to respond to Councillor Andrew Hart’s ropey grasp of British political history of the 20th century ( Post & Times, September 23).

Labour did well in the 1920s and formed two minority governments in that decade.

He is confusing it with the 30s in which Labour lost crushingly to the coalition National Government in 1931 to make a small recovery in 1935.

It was that election that Labour’s William Bromfield recovered his Leek seat after losing it four years earlier.

I should also add that the 1960s were a period of full employment – in 1967 there were more vacancies than there were workers to fill jobs.

He is confusing periods of mass unemployment with the 80s when Mrs Thatcher was in power.

Now that I have schooled Andrew I must remember to pass on a copy of

Richard Benefer’s and my Forth the Banners Go book which is a history of Staffs Moorlands Labour Party 1918-2018 where he will be better informed, if not necessary the wiser. I will let him have a copy when SMDC next meet face to face.

Oh dear, he defends Boris Johnson. What has been noticeable in the past few weeks is the flight of Tory political commentators away from the Prime Minister. For instance Janet Daley in the Daily Telegraph wrote of the latest ever changeable government guidance:

“A line has been crossed here which British constitutional traditions should be regarded as sacred – only to be transgressed with the fullest possible debate and the most impeachable evidence.

Unfortunately this Conservative government has shown precious little regard for either of these things.”

When the Telegraph is on your case as a Tory Prime Minister then the vultures are beginning to circle.

And Janet Daley is right, the country calls out for leadership what we get is a tuppenny arcade Churchill rolling out garish rhetorical flourishes.

To misquote Humphrey Bogart, the gaudier the politician, the cheaper the patter. The confusing performance on the new coronavirus rules was a case in point. It was waffle and piffle. It was rumble and bumble. It was balder and dash.

Councillor Bill Cawley Leek West