Why Boris is not doing a great job as leader
I WOULD like to respond to your correspondent, John Sharp of Great Glen (“In defence of Boris in unprecedented times’’, Mailbox, October 9).
At first I thought the letter was drafted by the Conservative Central Office, but then I convinced myself that there must be quite a few gullible people around.
So, we need to educate such people so that they can better differentiate facts from fiction.
Mr Sharp makes the following bold and erroneous statements about our Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. These include that Boris is a not a liar, that he is hard-working and very dedicated.
Firstly, about Boris not being a liar. Boris Johnson’s “Leave” campaign in the EU referendum basically involved making trips throughout the UK in a big bus, which had, as part of it livery, a bold claim that if we left the EU, we would save about £350 million each week.
This has been universally established as a complete and utter lie.
The figure of £350 million did not include the sizeable rebates that we regularly received from the EU.
Boris was also aware of it but liked using the higher figure for maximum effect.
Mr Sharp then proceeds to claim that the EU has been responsible for causing financial strife within the EU as well as creating the coronavirus.
Actually, because of EU’s well-run economic policies, the EU countries have suffered far less financial strife than other countries.
Regarding the coronavirus, it has been well documented by everyone, including WHO (World Health Organisation) that this virus first originated in China and not in EU.
Many countries, even some in the EU, were too slow to respond to the adverse effects of this virus. We, in the UK, were also guilty of that and so we will continue to suffer for a longer period still.
Mr Sharp also claims that the UK will be better off after Brexit, operating under WTO trade terms.
Most experts in this field say that we have a trade deficit of about £340 billion with the EU.
If we leave the EU without a proper trade deal, as it now seems likely, the WTO terms will be about 10 per cent higher and so, on top of losing sizeable chunks of our export trade, our trade deficit will be at least £4 billion higher.
So much for Boris Johnson claiming that we shall have an “ovenready” trade deal!
The other major difference that Boris Johnson presents is that he has very limited time for details and that he lacks experience of managing staff.
Evidence of the latter includes how he allows his special adviser Dominic Cummins a complete free hand in running his department in Downing Street, even if it means dismantling our established civil service.
Suresh Chauhan, Glen Parva