National service? More like national disgrace

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

I do not think for one second that, despite Penny Mordaunt’s patronage, anything will transpire (PA Archive)

I see that the rancid old chestnut of bringing back national service has raised its antique head again. I do not think for one second that, despite Penny Mordaunt’s patronage, anything will transpire.

However, if I am wrong I fully expect to see the programme handed to serial bungler Dido Harding to oversee as chief executive. A recipe for disaster and another egregious waste of taxpayers’ money, whatever way you look at it.

Robert Boston

Kent

Do Tories never learn?

Shortly after getting his own mandate to run the country – albeit on the basis of a dodgy and somewhat frozen Brexit deal – Boris Johnson appointed Nadine Dorries as culture secretary.

Nadine was a disaster from start to finish. While culture secretary she made enemies at the BBC, as Boris Johnson’s right-hand woman she treated the Partygate committee with total contempt, and as an MP she bathed in the publicity of trying and failing to bring down former House of Commons speaker John Bercow. Not to forget how long she made us all wait for her eventual resignation.

Given these facts, you really would think that Rishi Sunak would think twice before bringing his own right-hand pals into the heart of government. Yet it’s exactly what Rishi Sunak has done with Claire Coutinho.

Some people never seem to learn the lesson about building castles out of sand or even walking into the same brick wall.

Geoffrey Brooking

Hampshire

Ex-poster syndrome?

As a fellow sufferer, I sympathise with your piece about imposter syndrome.

But the big problem in British politics today is the opposite (Ex-poster Syndrome?) – those who genuinely are incompetent or undeserving, but don’t seem to know it. I name no names.

David Watson

Henley-on-Thames

Faulty construction and the final nail

The news that large numbers of schools will not open as planned for the new term will surely be the last nail in the coffin for this wretched government. To poor judgement and a lot else, we now have to add gross incompetence.

Of course, it’s not surprising how little interest the millionaires who govern us have in the public sector, whether in schools or hospitals. They don’t appear to make use of either.

Roll on the election!

Andrew McLuskey

Address supplied