Theresa Mayhem
What explains the feckless response of Prime Minister Theresa May to questions from Andrew Marr about what she knew of the unarmed Trident missile test malfunction in June of last year (your report, 23 January)? She could well have countered the offensive, so to speak, by saying something trite about the importance of national security in discussing these matters, as Lesley Riddoch points out in yesterday’s Perspective. It is still surprising that May was not better briefed before going to the television studio.
She did not become prime minister until 13 July and the missile test debacle happened in June. We do not know if she was part of the inner circle that would be informed of the test failure. If she was not, she might not want to embarrass the colleagues who did not inform her. If she was, she may well not wish to embarrass those colleagues who were also kept in the loop. Either way, the fact that she was unable to close down the controversy reflects an inexperience in handling these matters which I find baffling.
It is extremely unlikely that full disclosure of the mishap in June would have affected the outcome of the debate on the renewal of Trident in July. Most MPS can make a distinction between a general principle and a technical malfunction, however serious. They would also know that British military history is peppered with military failures and subsequent cover-ups. It’s just a pity this one could not have been handled with a bit more panache.
BOB TAYLOR Shiel Court, Glenrothes The Royal Navy’s latest exploit in aiming a Trident missile at the Atlantic Ocean (surely a big enough target by any estimation) only to find that Florida somehow got in the way, suggests that a visit to Specsavers should be the order of the day, before another mainbrace is spliced.
This is the Service that has more Admirals than ships; lost the Cod War to Iceland and failed in an attempt to circumnavigate the Isle of Skye. They eagerly await the delivery in 2020 of two aircraft carriers without the aircraft. Could you make it up?
Lord Nelson, with one arm and one eye, ensured that Britannia ruled the waves, so should we conclude that the item of anatomy lacking in today’s naval commanders is that which normally rests above the nose and between the ears?
JOSEPH G MILLER Gardeners Street, Dunfermline