Liz Truss is engaging in pork barrel politics

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

Most Conservative Party members are savers with little or no borrowings (Getty)

I find it strange that Rishi Sunak criticises Liz Truss’s pledge to cut taxes, citing that her economic advisers suggest that such cuts will lead to interest rates of 7 per cent. Does he not realise that the majority of members of the Conservative Party are savers with little or no borrowings and so will welcome the resulting rate rise that may send shivers down the spines of the vast majority of us?

The promise of more money in their pockets due to a reduction in tax and a significant rise in returns from savings looks to be a perfect example of what political scientists call “political particularism”, namely the ability to further one’s career by catering to narrow interest rather than to broader platforms – that’s pork barrel politics to you and me.

Colin Burke

Cumbria

Brexonomics

In a sane country, during sane times, I doubt any politician let alone a prime ministerial candidate would last long after being endorsed by one Patrick Minford – the only economist to support Brexit.

However, as we are clearly not living in a well-balanced country or era, I fully expect Liz Truss to receive the keys to No 10 Downing Street sometime in September. Likewise, I fully expect her to announce Minford as her chief financial adviser.

God help us all.

Robert Boston

Kingshill

Levelling up or breaking up?

Levelling up, whatever its specific meaning, is a worthy and vote-winning policy objective promising the less affluent areas of England a long overdue taste of the sort of affluence enjoyed in London and the South East.

The Westminster government represents the whole of the UK, comprising England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. As a resident of Wales, I note that the process of levelling up is one which seems to have passed us by over many years. I suspect a similar observation can be made in the other devolved administrations.

Whilst your editorial suggests that in England “even the aspiration to level up may quietly crumble away”, it appears to be an aspiration that the Westminster government has never held for the other countries in the UK.

Could this oversight, among others, lie at the root of a growing aspiration for the break-up of the union?

David Nelmes

Newport

Small price to pay

So the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in the UK, on behalf of Ukraine, with Nicola Sturgeon already stating she would like it held in Glasgow. Nevertheless, her rationale for hosting is somewhat obscure.

The UK, a key Ukrainian ally, will be competing, not Scotland – the UK will be the host with Glasgow the UK host city. Eurovision fans from elsewhere in the UK will attend, focused on supporting the UK entry. The event will be televised by the BBC, the UK’s national broadcaster and the principal funder, on behalf of the UK, of the event.

Yes, Sturgeon characteristically may manoeuvre herself to grab a few minutes of fame – but that’s a small price for unionists to pay for seeing Glasgow drowning in a sea of Ukraine and union flags for days running up to the event and on the night of the competition.

Martin Redfern

Roxburghshire

Horns of a dilemma

On Monday evening I watched the televised “discussion” between the two prime ministerial contenders. One was domineering and the other appeared to believe in magic money trees. Bleed, bleed, poor country!

Susan Alexander

Frampton Cotterell, South Gloucestershire