I’m sure Jacob Rees-Mogg is very intelligent – but that doesn’t mean everyone else is stupid

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

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I’m sure Jacob Rees-Mogg, with his excessively privileged upbringing and education, is very intelligent and knows all about hard work. Unfortunately, in his attitude to the parties, his ridiculous defence of the prime minister and other assorted gaffes, he seems to think that everyone else is stupid.

Jim

Maidenhead, Kent

Dear Nicola Sturgeon, the ferries fiasco will not just go away

Whatever Nicola Sturgeon may wish, the furore about the ferries fiasco is not going away. This is not the first time that the Scottish National Party leadership has not been able to provide documentary evidence to support a case. This time, it cannot, or will not, provide the documentation relevant to the Scottish government’s decision not to require full repayment guarantees from Ferguson Marine to insure it against any failure on the part of that company to fulfil the contract for two ferries.

Was nothing committed to paper – or computer – about this matter? If not, that was entirely improper.

It is all very well for Ms Sturgeon to say that she “regrets” this. Regrets, she’s had a few, and that is not enough.

It is certainly not enough for her – who “will take no lessons” – to say that her administration will learn any lessons needed. If she had learned lessons from all of the disasters that her regime has perpetrated, she would be the best-educated person in Scotland.

It is simply implausible to claim that information about the decision to waive a crucial requirement in a contract with a political friend does not exist anywhere. At the very least, someone, somewhere knows who took that decision. That person needs to be named and required to explain why this happened.

Jill Stephenson

Edinburgh, Scotland

The west must continue to provide the necessary tools to fight this war

It must now be obvious that Ukraine is fighting the war that western democracies have been avoiding for years. Each Russian outrage instigated by Putin has been overlooked with only limited actions taken to modify his behaviour by the western powers.

Thus, he has been successful in Syria, Crimea and Georgia, where overwhelming force has brought dividends. Similar thoughts must have influenced his decision to invade Ukraine.

An alternative explanation for the tactically unsound headlong dash along unsecured roads towards Kyiv; the fear of missing out on loot to competitor units. An army incentivised by booty because they are otherwise poorly rewarded by a kleptocratic authoritarian state has proven to be no match for highly-motivated and well-equipped patriots defending their homeland.

Almost certainly Russia has calculated that the costs of prosecuting this war will be repaid many times over by the dismemberment of the Ukraine state. Moldova cannot be far behind.

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Therefore, the west must continue to provide the necessary tools to fight this war and build peace when the opportunity arises. Cravenly we stand behind Ukraine because we do not wish to shed our blood as they shed theirs in this fight.

As for Russia, they will have to come to terms with the thousands of lost young men; tens of thousands of maimed and disabled individuals requiring state aid and rehabilitation; the dishonour of their military; the growing realisation that the civilised world puts no value on Russian economic, scientific, sporting or cultural endeavour; an ostracised people that may take a generation to come to terms with the reality they prosecuted an aggressive war for national enrichment.

Ukraine deserves membership in the EU and Nato for the sacrifices they have made on our behalf.

David Smith

Taunton

There can be no ambiguity

Fines must be consistent, Johnson must be fined for this party also. There can be no ambiguity, Johnson must be fined again otherwise what is the point of law?

Dale Hughes

Address provided