Rishi Sunak needs to stop hiding from voters

The fact that Tory rebels have drawn up five more demands in a bid to oust Rishi Sunak just proves how unfit for office the Conservative Party is.

The policies could quite easily have been written on the back of a napkin, and are designed only to save sitting Conservative MPs’ skins.

It is a sad sign of desperation coming from a party that is doomed to fail.

In the words of Rachel Reeves: “Rishi Sunak should stop hiding from voters and call a general election.”

Geoffrey Brooking

Hampshire

Whilst I hope the poor man in Tobago is getting the help he needs and will recover, we need to have some perspective here. Shark attacks are rare, especially when compared to other deaths or injury caused by other species, with humans, mosquitos and tapeworms far more likely to kill you than a shark. Despite this, we have engendered a visceral fear of sharks and now the Tobago authorities are going to neutralise the threat... one more dead shark then.

I doubt “British man critical after infection with tapeworm” will sell many headlines, but can we please give sharks better press? They are amazing animals and a vital part of our ecosystem.

Laura Dawson

Address supplied

It was interesting to read a letter proposing the abolition of inheritance tax today.

The writer seems to be of the opinion that descendants deserve to retain their parents’ wealth, no matter that they have not contributed to it.

Imagine a world with very high inheritance tax, with the money added to national wealth for health, education and social support of everyone, including those whose life chances are severely impaired due to their lack of family wealth.

Our current system maintains systemic inequality through multiple generations. Most people would be much better off in this much fairer world.

Martin C

Address supplied

Politicians of the centre left are still very nervous about the continuing but almost certainly waning power of the Brexit-voting older generation. Although many deplore the adverse effects of Brexit on our economy and our way of life, the opinion polls are still unclear. Starmer cannot be sure how strongly the anti-EU vote might still play in the coming election if he gives any significant hint that in government he would move towards much better and closer relations with our former EU partners.

We could wait, or we could hope that Starmer, while treading very carefully now, will show much greater enthusiasm for moves back towards EU membership once in office, pointing towards another referendum that Sir John Curtice confidently predicts.

But having mistakenly introduced referenda into our parliamentary system, can we not opt for a resounding parliamentary vote in a few years to reverse this foolish and disastrous wrong turn?

Gavin Turner

Norfolk