Jewish communities condemn China’s incarceration of Uighurs – it’s time to put human lives before economies

letters@independent.co.uk

It mostly passed unnoticed on International Holocaust Day that Britain’s Jewish leaders raised awareness about Uighurs’ repression by the Chinese regime.

Whether it is appropriate for anyone to make an analogy between the Nazi trial to wipe Jews from the face of the earth and other mass atrocities perpetrated by other regimes, it is indisputable that huge violations of human rights were committed towards Uighurs in China.

Over the past three years, China has incarcerated an estimated one million Uighurs in the so-called “reeducation camps”, and subjected Uighurs to repression, torture and cultural and religious cleansing. Hasn't the time come to put human lives, rights before mere economic interests?

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob

London

Cabinet of incompetents

As Boris Johnson’s government continues to compound the mistakes it has been making for over a year, surely it is time for a radical change? As in the Second World War, in times of national crisis, it is important to put party politics aside and work in a consensual way. Keir Starmer has always been prepared to work with the government in the national interest but, despite his duplicitous words about unity, Johnson has shunned every opportunity.

With a cabinet of incompetents who are out of their depth in all areas – health, education, the economy, human rights, international relations and so on – now is the time to bring together the best minds inside and outside parliament to form a government of national unity. At the very least, this might enable the nation to be guided by those who understand what it means to plan strategically and know how to make assured progress towards a clearly communicated end goal. At the moment, we are lurching from one apparent solution to another without learning anything from our experience and mistakes.

Having endured the disgraceful performance of Johnson, month after month, at Prime Minister’s Questions, I would suggest that Keir Starmer asks him the following question as a matter of urgency:

“Since the prime minister acknowledges that the nation needs to ‘come together’ and take a unified and strategic approach to the worst crisis to beset this nation in a generation, will he form a government of national unity, with all haste, to guide us through the worst of this catastrophe?”

Graham Powell

Cirencester

Boris in Scotland

For the life of me I cannot think of a measure less likely to motivate the Scots to remain in the Union than to send Boris Johnson there. Nicola Sturgeon must be delighted!

Ed Sturmer

Tring

Simple honesty

At first glance, the prime minister’s announcement on Wednesday of a possible timetable seems like good news. But a little more thought shows it for what it really is. Another late announcement about the way the government will handle another stage of this pandemic. The one consistent thing about this and all previous announcements is that they show the government in reactive mode and thus emphasise yet again that it’s the virus that is in control, not the government.

Nothing the prime minister said today had to wait until today; it could have been said weeks ago. I can’t see any reason why it wasn’t. At its most basic, I would have thought the prime minister’s political senses would make him respond better – yet they don’t. Any objective measure of the passage of the virus would conclude there’s little difference in outcomes between Scotland and England, yet Nicola Sturgeon consistently appears to be better informed, better at presenting outcomes and facts and better at looking and behaving like a real leader.

I fear Boris Johnson just doesn’t get that mucking through and being jolly isn’t not enough. His personal history suggests that he thinks personality can suffice and trump any other skill. Crisis management demands so much more, and often just plain and simple honesty. We seem as far away from getting anything like this than we have been since the start of the Brexit referendum. It’s not a good place to be.

Steve Mumby

London

Asymptomatic testing

A work colleague recently feigned symptoms so that he could be with his girlfriend (showing symptoms) as she was anxious about going for a test. 

Interestingly, her test result was negative but his was positive. Thinking there must have been a mistake they repeated the test and got the same result. We still have a busy office due during the lockdown so this was a piece of good fortune for our business and has saved a bigger outbreak happening.  

This simple example demonstrates the powerful case for asymptomatic testing. We cannot suppress the virus by only testing for symptomatic cases. Surely, it is common sense that an entire household comes forward for testing when one of them shows symptoms, we have the test capacity – let’s use it.  With the full capacity of testing at our disposal, every positive test could save a life.

Paul Morrison

Address supplied

Early years education

The government has announced that schools in England are to remain closed after the February half-term and will not reopen until it is safe to do so. However, nurseries and early years education settings have been left out of the conversation entirely.

With a lack of clear direction and support from the government through the pandemic, early years settings have found themselves in chaos and forced to make difficult decisions about whether it is safe and financially viable to stay open.

With many being asked to remain open, while schools stay shut, it is absolutely vital that the government recognises teachers and early years professionals as key frontline workers and gives them priority access to the vaccine, as they continue to provide face-to-face education. There should also be a roll-out of mass asymptomatic testing in these settings, and for those that have been forced to close or that have seen a fall in demand for funded places, the government must introduce targeted funding to protect the future sustainability of the sector.

Maccs Pescatore, CEO of Montessori Centre International

London

Brussels spat

I don’t pretend to understand the ins and outs of the developing spat between London and Brussels concerning vaccine supply but, any wrangling on the subject at a time like this is reprehensible beyond description.

Why are people incapable of getting on with each other and cooperating even when so much is at stake?

Dr Anthony Ingleton

Sheffield