Boris Johnson’s credibility was shot months ago and nothing he says now rings true

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I watched Boris Johnson give his speech last night. Alas, as I watched, all I could hear was him saying: “I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody, you will be pleased to know, and I continue to shake hands.” His credibility was shot right there and remains in pieces.

Without a long overdue acknowledgement of his own massive stupidity and any smidgeon of regret for having bothered the NHS through his arrogant boneheadedness, there is never going to be anything he can say to us that will ring true.

If that weren’t enough cause for anger, Mr Johnson clearly has no plan, no strategy, no intelligent overview of this situation but is simply flailing around, reacting haphazardly to new Covid-19 figures when they eventually come to his notice. 

A successful test and trace system would have helped him (and us) but, despite Cummings’s fascination with technology and the new appointment of Hancock’s best friend, this remains a world-beating failure.

Cometh the hour, cometh the clown. Just our luck to be bystanders, meanwhile.

Beryl Wall

London

Covid doesn’t discriminate

The coronavirus has killed the good and the bad, the brave and the cowards, the believers and the deniers. That’s the point about the virus – it doesn’t distinguish, it can and does kill anyone. Everyone needs to face the reality of the next year, with a mask on.

We must also remember the number of doctors and nurses who have died of it. Not all heroes ride horses into battle, some just take the subway.

Stick together by keeping apart. Smile even though no one can see it under your mask.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne, Australia

Increase benefits

If Rishi Sunak wants to support the economy, and viable jobs, he could do a lot worse than increase unemployment benefits across the board so that the unemployed can live with dignity. It would stimulate the economy and the newly unemployed would have space to find the new jobs that will undoubtedly emerge in the post-Covid world.

Joanna Pallister

Durham

Check yourselves first

Let’s look at the performance. Rees-Mogg said last week that the British public had done well in the face of a disease nobody knew existed at the beginning of the year. It was known about in December. Yesterday, Gove ummed and erred his way through an interview, a sure sign of not knowing what you’re talking about. Hancock’s constant lies about “world beating” track and trace. Cummings et alia not being disciplined for lockdown breaches in the way Starmer sent one of his MPs to the backbenches over the antisemitism issue. Johnson goes on holiday and became the invisible man when the exam mess appeared in the lives of many, many people. Constant U-turns (or change in direction). Rule of six, but the rich landowners can gather in crowds to hunt birds.  

Then he/they threaten us with huge fines and more restrictions. Look at yourselves first.

Richard Kimble

Leeds

Clue’s in the name

Was BBC One trying to tell us something with the programme schedule between 8pm and 9pm yesterday? 8pm: A broadcast from the prime minister. 8.05pm: BBC news special: Coronavirus. 8.30pm: Would I Lie to You? No comment!

Tony Shephard

Shifnal, Shropshire  

Good timing

Perhaps I’m unduly suspicious of an administration which shies away from scrutiny, which seeks to divert blame for its own shortcomings, which has attempted to play fast and loose with parliamentary democracy, and which is driven by a Brexit dogma.

I do wonder if it is a coincidence that, should Brexit go as badly wrong as many fear it will, given the lamentable competence levels shown by this administration, it will now be illegal for any form of protest to take place on the streets until March 2021.

How very convenient, but how unsurprising, given this Conservative administration’s track record.

Arthur Streatfield

Bath