The Tory party couldn’t run a bath, let alone the country

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

I don’t understand why Rishi Sunak thinks that this is the most important issue facing the British public today (PA)

I completely agree with The Independent’s recent editorial that the prime minister has staked his political future on the Rwanda issue, as evident in his rather surreal press conference, in which he persisted in adjuring the House of Lords to get a move on and pass his bill. It is the unequivocal right of the Lords to peruse this legislation with a fine-toothed comb and not for this chamber to be made toothless by an intractable Rishi Sunak.

I don’t understand why Sunak thinks that this is the most important issue facing the British public today. They have far more important matters on their minds than the cruel and unworkable deportation of disenfranchised asylum seekers.

It is a strange obsession of the Tory party and although the rebellion collapsed, there is so much disunity in this party. It is frankly disgraceful. Why can’t other strategies be implemented such as proactive “safe and legal” routes? Or is that seen to be too safe by this government, which would rather grandstand and champion a gimmicky policy that will never work?

Judith A Daniels

Norfolk

When push comes to shove

Words cannot even come close to explaining the cowardice of a certain 50 Conservative MPs. One day they were all queuing up to proudly express their principles to try and change the failing Rwanda Bill.

Yet the next day, when push came to shove, they lost their bottle and chickened out. Even though former home secretary, Suella Braverman, had already drafted up a replacement Strasbourg-proof bill.

Clearly, rather than go through the unpopular chaos that would have followed a defeat, with an untenable leader already under pressure to call a general election, they decided to try and save themselves instead. The remaining 11 Tory rebels, including Braverman, are now no doubt being eyed up by the Reform Party.

As for the other 50 (including Lee Anderson), they, like the rest of the country, are just going to have to count down the hours until the next election...

Geoffrey Brooking

Havant

A deterrent for no one

On the topic of “the boats” it appears that the government believes that when immigrants set off from France, they are fully aware of what will confront them on arrival on our shores, and fully acquainted with British migration policy. The idea that this bill will act as a deterrent is absurd.

Do they really believe that human traffickers are communicating political updates to their victims? Most asylum seekers have travelled thousands of miles before they reach the French coast, and are not going to be told then that their hopes and dreams of a better life are a mirage.

Wendy Draper

Winchester

Debunking the toxic orthodoxy

In 1974 Keith Joseph began the ideology that became Thatcherism. The Tories overturned what had been the overwhelming economic consensus that the actions of the state should help regulate the economic cycle.

Instead, the new idea was that unleashing “enterprise” by reducing personal and corporate taxes, and privatising state services would fuel economic growth.

This mantra is now the political orthodoxy of both main political parties in the UK. Unfortunately, it is not true.

Tax cuts do not affect GDP, the rich get richer, and companies do not invest more. In my opinion, company managers use tax windfalls to manipulate their share prices so that their bonuses are paid.

Unfortunately, Labour is terrified of upsetting this toxic apple cart. Interestingly. Rishi Sunak wasn’t. As chancellor, he said “this is no time for ideology” when announcing massive state intervention in the form of the furlough scheme.

How do we debunk this toxic orthodoxy that has implications for huge sections of society and ruined public services?

Graham Walker

Address Supplied

Party couldn’t run a bath, let alone the country

One of the greatest annoyances of mine is when people talk over one another. So you can imagine my annoyance recently when listening to BBC2’s Politics Live and Jonathan Gullis, the MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, was on the panel. I could not hear answers or comments from any other members of the panel due to Mr Gullis continually talking over their contribution. Gullis came across as arrogant and often hadn’t engaged his brain before talking.

Gullis is typical of the Tory party now; full of rhetoric, half-truths, and abounding bullying tactics. Actions speak louder than words and it’s sad to see that the last 14 years have been a wasted opportunity for Britain to prosper, all caused by the Conservative’s ethos of lying, deception and obfuscation.

There are too many Gullis’s in government for it to function efficiently. Just look at how many ministers have already been sacked, moved or resigned. The Tory party forgets that many people still need convincing that they could lead the country again. But I suspect many more will vote for any other party just to bring in a change of government.

This bunch of no-hopers couldn’t run a bath, let alone the country. The standard acumen and ability to improve our standard of living, giving us back the once-proud nation we were, is just not in their compass.

Keith Poole

Basingstoke