The Tories are just trying to distract attention from their own Brexit failure

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

Rishi Sunak banging on about immigration is just a massive ‘own goal’ for the party (WPA Rota)

I read Adam Forrest’s recent column with interest. Professor John Curtice’s comments on the British public (given that he certainly knows a thing or three about the predilection of people’s voting habits) show that it is not looking good for the Tory government.

He is correct that it is a massive “own goal” for Rishi Sunak to keep banging on about immigration and drawing ever more divisive attention as to how this country is treating desperate, disenfranchised people. It pulls into focus the government’s lack of headway in producing proactive solutions such as more safe, legal routes or efficient assessment of often justifiable claims.

Curtice is correct that in choosing this target, they are trying to distract attention from their own Brexit failure and all the “pie in the sky” rewards that were winging our way. It made me smile also, to read that a trade deal with the US has not been a priority – I thought that was going to be the icing on the Brexit cake, but seemingly not!

Labour has a massive chance now to win disillusioned hearts and minds but must go flat-out to achieve their long-awaited aim of forming the next government, or many of us will give up the ghost completely. So keep on performing your own goals prime minister; we are right behind you!

Judith A Daniels

Norfolk

Why won’t world leaders do more for Ukraine?

What will it take to persuade the leaders of the so-called free world to actually stamp down on the colossally vicious actions of Vladimir Putin?  They’re all “appalled” and haplessly shrug their shoulders at Putin’s latest criminal act. All while continuing with their diplomatic language, shiny suits, limousine cavalcades, and smiles while President Zelensky increasingly pleads for action. Clearly, Putin isn’t dissuaded by international bigwigs frowning and finger-wagging; he frankly seems emboldened by our feeble responses.

Why do we not seem keen to take up arms and unequivocally shut down Putin’s violence and genocidal lunacy? Politics, that’s why! When your own political skin is more important to you than the lives of thousands of Ukrainians, that’s when you decide you find yourself prepared to crucify an entire nation rather than free them from this oppression.

Daily, over my village, fly the West’s latest sophisticated stealth attack planes owned by the UK and the US. These catastrophically noisy aircraft do nothing but play their impotent war games in preparation for what? Armageddon, or just sabre-rattling?

Take a peek over the horizon sometime towards Ukraine, I think you’ll find the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka has already brought Armageddon onto the heads of the people in those 80-plus towns and villages. What will provoke our leaders into doing more than trotting out diplomatic language, expressions of regret, and eating posh dinners with other world leaders?

Steve Mackinder

Denver

Hacked off Harry

Kim Sengupta in his comment about Prince Harry’s court case explains that he is complimented to be referred to as “a respected Independent defence correspondent” and that he uses approved journalist methods to support his reports.

Whether or not Prince Harry can prove whether his phone was hacked, the headlines published are more than unpleasant and often untrue. The impact on the Prince has been and is damaging.

That Prince Harry has resorted to legal action against Mirror newspapers (which seems proud to admit past culpability), indicates his beleaguered circumstances due to his royal heritage, the psychological impact of his mother’s death, and the hounding of his wife by the British media.

More compassion is required before some journalists use the public interest to support their reports and publishers’ profits.

James Bell

Belgique

Old empires are dying, and that’s a good thing

The Independent’s recent letters touch upon the status of European countries and their history. Empires, whether national or commercial, have come and gone and will probably continue to do so. The challenge for countries today in Europe, is that the world order and economy have rotated dramatically to the East, and especially China.

My belief is that new empires will be created by collaboration, not by conquering dictators. Problems will be solved internationally, not with domestic policy uncoordinated with others.

Diplomacy and trade negotiations will need to be determined on balanced optimisation, not winners and losers due to economic power. There will always be strengths and weaknesses, but sustainable trade and economy will depend upon altruistic and symbiotic relationships that create circularity in all things.

Russia is leading the way to the decline of reborn empires and let us hope that China, India, and others are taking note.

For us, we are in but a phase of evolution. Our latest misadventures might yet lead to the global Britain that participates in or even leads international collaboration on everything from migration to defence and local manufacturing to global trade agreements that are balanced and fair to all. The domestic and global health crisis could be managed by a system similar to the NHS principles that support emerging economies to help us whilst we help them, instead of taking what we need based on selfish economic principles alone.

Yes, all those old empires are dead and dying. The new ones are going to be better, more intelligent, and symbiotic.

Michael Mann

Shrewsbury