If our prime minister, Rishi Sunak, is being less than truthful about his zero knowledge of the “what to do about Brexit” summit the other day, then we are clearly back to the mendacious Johnson years. On the other hand, if he genuinely did not know such a meeting was arranged at the behest of senior figures including government ministers, then it appears we are moving back to the clueless Truss days.
I’m not sure which scenario worries me more!
Robert Boston
Kent
Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation shows us what sort of leader she is
Political leaders demonstrate a spectrum of personalities. At one extreme are those who see it as their duty to serve when a job needs to be done. Volodymyr Zelensky is a shining example. Then there are the Trumps, the Johnsons, and the Putins, who have a self-aggrandising need to take control, and to whom “service” seems to be an alien concept.
Whether or not you agree with her politics, Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation appears to place her at least a bit closer to the former category.
Susan Alexander
South Gloucestershire
Sunak needs to stand up to his Eurosceptics
I read Adam Forrest’s column with the news that there is perhaps an impending agreement between London and Brussels, unless, of course, the DUP or the European Research Group scupper it. Personally, I think the latter should be rebranded as the “European Reactionary Group” because all they want to do is protect their hard line and intractable approach to Brexit.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I am so fed up with these leading government brexiteers who won’t move a conciliatory inch on basically anything. It’s their “my way or the highway” Brexit stance that has got us into this mess.
Rishi Sunak needs to show who is boss. He even has the support of Keir Starmer and the Labour Party on this so divisive issue. He needs to stand up to his Eurosceptics who are determined not to see the wood for the trees and have far too much counterproductive influence.
The prime minister cannot be all things to all factions in his severely divided party, but Sunak needs to facilitate what is fair and proactive in this situation. If these Brexit ultras insist on spitting feathers on an industrial scale, so be it. There are far more sensible Tory MPs who are fully cognizant of the innate harm this protocol is doing.
Judith A. Daniels
Norfolk
The Conservatives could lose, but at what cost?
It would seem highly likely that the Conservative party will lose the next election. But before we get too excited we should consider the following scenario. Not having to appease the voters means Rishi Sunak will be unhindered in obeying the right wing of his party: pushing through the most extreme anti-Europe measures, ripping up all laws, regulations, and institutions with the word Europe in the name, and pursuing the most ruthless policies against asylum seekers.
All this could push our economy over the edge, and if the polls are correct, will just give his Labor successors more problems.
Geoff Forward
Stirling
Water companies won’t learn and won’t change
Further to recent reports about the discharge of raw sewage into the River Colne, we hear that the company – seemingly in an effort to deflect attention from its multiple “spills” – says it is concerned that there was insufficient action to address water pollution from other industries! This is pretty rich, and suggests an astonishing degree of brass neck. Basically, the company seems to be unteachable.
The widespread criticism water companies have received after it was revealed how much raw sewage they have been dumping into our rivers isn’t enough for them to change. Our water industry needs to be renationalised as a matter of urgency.
Andrew McLuskey
Address provided
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