Finally, a good reason for Boris Johnson’s Brexit botches

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

What we need is a party and leader who will give power back to local communities (Getty)

According to a new book, Boris Johnson privately declared he had “no plan” for Brexit when he heard the referendum result, and admitted he didn’t even think the Leave team would win.

No wonder Johnson botched everything to do with Brexit during his time as prime minister.

Even his “oven-ready deal” turned out to be another one of those lies that he is famous for telling; almost as bad as the one about £350m for the NHS printed on the side of the Vote Leave tour bus.

I expect nothing less from a party that claims we’re “all in it together”, but then only protects the wealthiest 1 per cent of earners.

What we need is a party and leader who will give power back to local communities. Namely, Labour and Keir Starmer.

Geoffrey Brooking

Hampshire

Sunak seems set on making the UK unattractive to tourists

As if starving the tourism industry of staff as a result of Brexit was not enough to deter visitors to the UK, the government now also refuses to bring back the VAT refunds on goods European visitors to these isles can take home.

Geoff Forward

Stirling

We need a real solution to the country’s sewage suffering

People have to start taking responsibility for their own pollution. Yes, water companies have made mistakes and need to take action, quickly. But the fact is that many properties are effectively illegally discharging stormwater from roofs and surfaces to sewage networks that they should not be. Also, with areas like the West Country suffering from drought as well as sewage overflows, the obvious thing to do is to disconnect these discharges.

By installing rainwater collection tanks, and then discharging that water after peak flows have occurred, huge amounts of water could be diverted or released after a delay. That would make a huge difference. Any rainwater used in this way reduces the demand for fresh drinking water, which should not be used for flushing toilets and the like.

Actions such as these will solve this messy problem sooner rather than later, and avoid the rest of us having to pay for the illegal actions of others.

Michael Mann

Shrewsbury

Our country needs to find its compassion

I read Bel Trew and Lizzie Dearden’s article with despair that so many men, women and children will be made to feel that boat crossings are the only way to escape their dangerous, wartorn country.

Good for Conservative MP Tim Loughton, who is showing compassion and ethical behaviour in challenging the government about the paucity of safe and legal routes, thus negating these horrendous and dangerous crossings.

The government and opposition need to step up and appreciate that desperate people will indeed take desperate measures. The Illegal Migration Bill must and should have necessary amendments, to prove that we are a country that still cares.

We must prove ourselves to be a civilised country that appreciates the ghastly lived experiences of so many people, who are forced to flee their homes through no fault of their own.

Judith A Daniels

Norfolk

Harry Belafonte’s legacy extends far beyond entertainment

I’ve been reading across all media many glowing tributes to Harry Belafonte. And well deserved they are. However, I have not yet seen any mention of his groundbreaking appearance on US television with Petula Clark. In April 1968, Clark touched Belafonte’s arm in an act that was apparently the first time a white woman had touched a black man on primetime TV. It apparently caused more than a rumpus!

Fifty-five years later we have seen vast improvements in racial equality, and for women too. However, when I look around at the current state of affairs, I still think we have a long way to go.

Robert Boston

Kent