Drugs trade more concerning than drinks parties at No 10

THE connection between the drugs trade and violent crime is well known, and is a regular source of comments in the news media.

Against this background it comes as a surprise to many of us that the attitude of our parliamentary representatives does not reflect this problem.

Public policy for years has taken the tone that anyone who drinks a pint of beer or smokes a cigarette is to be treated as a criminal whereas the use of cocaine is yet to result in the prosecution of an offender. I would like to suggest that this is a more important issue than arguing about drinks parties held in Downing Street.

From: Peter Hyde,

Driffield.

I CAN see a simple way for Boris and Co. to put an end to the ‘partygate’ scandal. Why don’t all of the participants admit that what they have done against the law, pay the £100 fine each, stop wasting police and Parliamentary time and get on with governing the country?

From: Terry Morrell, Willerby.

BERNARD Ingham has got it absolutely right (The Yorkshire Post, January 26). The vast majority of the population are fed up with this crackpot obsession by ‘Labour-inspired media’ to generate ‘false news’. Let the Government get on with dealing with the real problems which are causing most of us concern.

From:JamesBuick, Northallerton.

YOU are correct (The Yorkshire Post, January 27) to call for more effective ways of holding prime ministers to account when their integrity, and that of their office, is brought into disrepute – the ‘partygate’ scandal, after all, has been far worse by Boris Johnson’s denials that it is now an issue of trust.

From: Henry Cobden, Ilkley.

THE evocation of a 80-year-old widow marking her milestone birthday in a cold garden, with socially distanced fish and chips because she and her family complied with Covid rules (Tom

Richmond, The Yorkshire Post, January 27), shows why Boris Johnson will never be forgiven for his cavalier approach to the rules.

From: Sam Willmott,

Bingley.

TRANSPORT Secretary Grant Shapps complains that ‘partygate’ is getting in the way of the business of government. Why, therefore, did the House of Commons rise at 4.30pm on Wednesday, two and a half hours early, when that time could have been used to discuss a Levelling Up White Paper? He cannot have it both ways.