We are allowing hatred to spread across the world – it is our duty to stop it

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(Reuters)

We have woken up yet again to horrendous news from France overnight. There will no doubt be attempts to blame everyone from the French government, to left-wing media and calls for many more controls to make us "safer". Controls which will only provide an illusion of safety.

The only people to blame are those who commit these horrendous acts and those who incite them. There is no magic solution. France has banned the burqa and imposed a state of emergency, but it has not prevented more problems, so the narrative of Marine Le Pen solves nothing.

However, we have to face the reality that Isis needs to be destroyed militarily and financially. Only a return to respecting the value of human life, tolerance and love for fellow human beings will in the end bring us back from the brink.

I spent the afternoon walking yesterday in Jerusalem. A microcosm of the world with churches, synagogues and mosques and where Jewish bakeries sit yards from Arab souks. Normal people going about their daily lives and coexisting. Nobody was born to hate anyone else. They were taught to by a parent, a friend, a religious leader, a politician or by a total stranger over the web.

The hate crime we are seeing at the moment in the UK may not be the same as Isis in outcome. But if people are allowed to plant a seed of hatred we are allowing a forest of hatred to develop over time. It's our collective job to stop it.

Chris Key
Address supplied

Double standards

I just want to make sure that I have got this right. Jeremy Corbyn won the leadership battle for the Labour Party and several members of his Shadow Cabinet resigned and several others were sacked. That was then defined as an awful situation for the party and meant that Corbyn could not possibly be the right leader and how weak he was.

Theresa May acquires the leadership of the Tory Party, several members of the Cabinet resign and others are sacked. And this time it’s a good thing and shows how strong she is.

What is the difference?

Peter Harris
Rugby

Boris Johnson was a strong appointment for May

I thought it was a masterstroke for Prime Minister May to appoint Boris Johnson to the position of Foreign Secretary. Behind all the bufoonery of Boris, he is a very clever capable man. He is the ideal candidate for dealing with the bureaucrats in Europe who will no longer be able to make sarcastic asides in a foreign language, Boris can speak seven languages.

It is unfortunate for Ireland that we do not have politicians with even half the abilities of Boris: if we did, we would be exiting the EU pretty damned quick. Our leaders are like lap dogs to the Eurocrats and they do not understand we are a pimple on the periphery of Europe and we do not come into the equation, regardless of what the Irish government think.

If Ireland stuck by Britain – which I think we should, because we are joined at the hip and have been for more than 200 years – we would get a better deal from Europe. Ten per cent of the people in Great Britain are either Irish-born or have Irish blood, and that is where our loyalties should lie. The Great Britain and Irish fishing grounds are a massive bargaining chip, in addition to the huge trade the EU does with both countries, in any discussions with the EU.

They are not daft in Brussels and they will be more accommodating if we stick together.

John Fair
Co Mayo

Sacking Osborne was a great move

By the end of the EU campaign, we had all been sent to sleep by the countless number of warnings from George Osborne about how we would go into recession, interest rates would rise and the country as a whole would be poorer.

Many believe, including me, that Osborne’s failure to concentrate on how the EU could potentially drive and excel the economy cost Remain the victory. This is one of the main reasons why Theresa May made the right decision not to include Osborne in the Cabinet. His lacklustre performance during the campaign meant he did not deserve one of the top jobs.

Although his policy of spending cuts and austerity have reduced the deficit, they have also angered a large proportion of the population (as was the case especially with the disability cuts). This dented reputation may prove costly for May if she was to appoint him to a different role and could result in the Tories losing countless numbers of votes in 2020.

I also share the view that he campaigned just as strongly for remain as David Cameron did and as a result, it would be wrong for him to stay in a position of significant power.

Lewis Chinchen
Sheffield

The irony of Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary

Boris, the undiplomatic diplomat.

Rod Matthews
Melbourne

Boris Johnson has pressing issues to address in Ancient Greece

Can anyone confirm that our new Foreign Secretary has asked his department to prioritise a meeting with the Etruscans and the Greeks to discuss the emerging threat from Carthage.

John Dillon
Birmingham

We need to remain united

The dreadful news from France reinforces why we should stay together and work for a strong, equal and united Europe. Liberty, equality, fraternity and peace in Europe today...and then maybe tomorrow in the world.

Maria Lewis
Wimbledon