Would the Tories actually be any better under a new leader?

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Boris Johnson has been blamed for the by-election defeat in North Shropshire (Getty)

The Liberal Democrat victory in North Shropshire was a clear message to this government that the average person is fed up with sleaze, incompetence, U-turns, ludicrous promises and rampant rule-breaking with, let’s be honest, impunity.

However, I fear, neigh am almost assured, that apart from removing our woeful prime minister – and they will – that the government will continue with their shameful policies, their disregard for public funds and frankly show even more contempt for the electorate until some sanity is restored to the Conservative Party.

Thursday may not have been the first step towards that goal, but it was a large leap in the right direction.

Robert Boston

Kingshill

The result in North Shropshire must be a great joy to many. Boris Johnson’s reign of distorted truths may at last be over. I hope his demise is swift and a new leader can be put in place quickly. I look forward to a new PM who is trustworthy above all. I don’t even care if I disagree with their policies; I just need a leader of this country who has integrity and honesty, so we can at last gain some credibility and respect from the rest of the world.

Tony Howarth

London SW3

A century ago, the loss of a Liberal seat in a by-election at Newport triggered the end of Lloyd George’s premiership after a meeting of Tory MPs – known as the 1922 Committee – voted to withdraw their support from his coalition government.

The loss of North Shropshire may well result in the Tories finally losing faith in Boris Johnson and voting to oust him as their leader and prime minister. If this occurs next year, will the group of MPs that takes this decision become known as the “2022 Committee”?

Roger Hinds

Surrey

What happened to all the great politicians?

Why is it such a surprise that business (exports) with the EU has slumped so badly? Surely it is understood that if you are not in the club, the benefits cannot be shared? Britain chose to withdraw from a mature, if imperfect, agreement to be part of a 27 country trading partnership.

Our government has just announced that we are, at least, 25 per cent down on exports to the EU and Ireland. But they trumpet the fact that we have signed an agreement with Australia, which will accrue an increase in business of 0.08 per cent in a few years time.

Tom Peck’s excellent article, (‘To be a politician you don’t need to know or understand anything at all about politics – clearly’, 16 December) shows why we’re in this dire situation. There are few, if any, real statespersons left in key positions. As Mr Peck says, Boris Johnson ousted many long-serving MPs replacing them with Brexit supporters who contribute nothing to the competent governance of Britain. Instead they follow Johnson blindly in the hope that they keep their jobs.

Keith Poole

Basingstoke

Reading widely

Laura Pearson (‘It’s not “woke” to read diverse children’s books – every parent should’, 16 December) encourages parents to read their children books which reflect modern society rather than those they themselves enjoyed as children.

I did that 30-plus years ago. There were no role models for even white Scots girls in children’s literature of the Fifties and Sixties. Heroines were blonde, blue-eyed, good at ballet but not at maths, affluent and Home Counties and I hated them all, so I sought out books with strong female characters, diverse origins, non-traditional families, people with disabilities. It was harder to find those 30 years ago.

The book I do treasure from my childhood is The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Feiffer (1961) with its sophisticated word play, enthusiasm for wisdom and characters like the Humbug, Terrible Trivium, Spelling Bee and the banished princesses Rhyme and Reason.

Dr Patricia Fowlie

Address supplied

Covid confusion

On Sunday, my husband and I were both “pinged”, informing us that on the previous Wednesday evening during a theatre and dinner trip to London, we had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive for Covid. We both did lateral flow tests (negative) on Monday and ordered PCR tests via the government website. The process, with too many questions and overzealous authentication, means many probably give up at this stage.

When the tests arrived on Wednesday, we turned them around and posted them in a priority mailbox within two hours of receiving them. It would have been faster but the website for registering them wasn’t working so we had to call 119 instead. Another stage at which I suspect many people would give up.

We are still waiting for the results by text on Friday afternoon – surely a 10 day delay between contact and test result is making the process pointless?

Anna Taylor

Address supplied

Arrivals to the United Kingdom continue to have to undergo pre-departure and post-arrival Covid tests, but anyone catching a crowded train does not undergo any testing. The government justifies such tests as a way of limiting the influx of new Omicron cases, despite community spread being enormous. The ethics of hindering British citizens from returning home based on health reasons are questionable.

Consistency in the rules may help engage the public; nonsensical travel restrictions may have the opposite effect.

Bambos Charalambous

Manchester

Back to school

The education secretary has appealed for retired teachers (such as myself) to step in to stop local schools closing from lack of staff, to make up for the lack of controls, laptops for disadvantaged pupils, promised air purifiers, and other fovernment failures to keep Covid from sending children home.

The following reasons prevent me from doing so:

1. It is over 10 years since I taught in a classroom

2. I am no longer a member of a teaching union (a requirement to teach in schools in this country)

3. I would need a new DBS certificate

4. It would be difficult to ensure (2) and (3) were addressed over the Christmas period

5. Primary school children are unvaccinated, and probably the largest single group in the population among whom Covid is allowed to run riot. And I am not particularly at risk!

Katharine Powell

Address supplied