Think what you like about Cummings, his testaments are based on the realities we remember

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Dominic Cummings has insisted he heard prime minister Boris Johnson’s “bodies pile high” remark (EPA/UK Parliamentary Recording Unit)

Those who seek to support Boris Johnson's government in the aftermath of Dominic Cummings’s evidence to the Select Committee on Wednesday (26 May) will tell us that Cummings is a very unreliable witness, who seeks to do damage to the government for personal reasons.

They will remind us all of Cummings’s Barnard Castle incident, and tell us that we should simply not believe his evidence.

But in my view, whilst he may well have added spice to his testimonies, Cummings did not need to tell lies to the committee to make his attack. Assuming we have been in the UK for the last 17 months and have paid attention, we all know that Cummings’s testaments are based on the realities as we remember them.

In the final analysis, you can think what you like about Dominic Cummings, but the fact will remain that he correctly highlighted just how chaotic, wrong-headed and inept the Johnson government has been, and the very grave damage they have done, and will likely continue to do, to Britain.

David Curran

Feltham

Diverted Ryanair plane

I offer my solidarity to the Belarus journalist and blogger, Roman Pratasevich, who helped organise the demonstrations against the regime following last year's rigged elections.

Roman Protasevich and his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, were taken into custody by Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko's security forces, after the Ryanair plane they were travelling on was diverted to land in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

A few hours later, Roman Protasevich appeared on Belarus television, bruises on his face partially obscured with makeup, and his father said it looked as if some of his teeth had been knocked out, saying that he had been treated in a lawful manner by the security forces. If indeed this is correct, it is horrible, brutal, Stone Age behaviour.

Sofia Sapega also later appeared on Belarus TV, also giving a confession, saying she was involved in an organisation that published the names of Belarus security force members, etc.  Her mother told the media she was not involved in politics.

It's all ghastly, and in my view, reminiscent of the attempt on the life of Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, who just escaped Novichok nerve agent poisoning last year. He is now being held in prison in Russia and authorities have just announced more "charges" against him. 

I hope that democratic governments worldwide, especially in Europe and the US, will take the increasing seeming lawlessness and violence against democracy activists in Belarus and Russia seriously and act accordingly. I hope that sustained pressure from democratic governments will save Roman Protasevich's life and he and Sofia Sapega will be released from prison immediately. 

Genevieve Forde

Whangaparaoa, New Zealand 

Running the country

During Wednesday’s inquiry, Dominic Cummings said that Matt Hancock should have been fired on multiple occasions. Incidentally, what possible justification is there for Mr Hancock to go jogging wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a large NatWest logo, knowing he was about to be filmed by a news crew waiting outside?

Tim Blennerhassett

Chichester

Off-loading

What a snake. Surely what Dominic Cummings is spitefully off-loading is confidential? Boris Johnson was dealing with the biggest crisis known to most of us. To be betrayed in this way should be considered treason, especially when he stood by Cummings over the fiasco of driving 30 miles to test his eyesight.

If he was unsure why potentially put a child at risk? His revelations in the recent inquiry appear to be pure spite. If he was so concerned about the choices being made why didn’t he speak out? Or resign at the time? Surely this is revenge, pure and simple?

Helen Rowland 

Essex

Self promotion

The Cummngs-Johnson debacle was close on inevitable. Sadly, it will be the Great British public that bears the brunt of cabinet ministers self-promoting disregard for the guardianship of the nation. We appear to be governed by people, both elected and unelected, whose only care is the guardianship of their careers.

Philip Mitchell

Winchester