Times letters: Conservative poll slump and trust in the PM

Sir, To your leading article (“Trust Deficit”, Dec 10), can be added: trust is endangered when the political class alienate themselves from the electorate’s expectations; it is in danger when politicians confuse self-interest with national interest; when patronage is neither accountable nor transparent; when the checks and balance of the constitution are overruled to satisfy a party political agenda; and when clever words are used to muddle and obfuscate. Once trust is lost democracy is in danger.
Dr Christina Dykes
Beaulieu, Hants

Sir, President Macron has stated that our prime minister is a clown (news, Dec 2). A clown is a capable actor, who earns money behaving like an idiot to make the audience laugh. Boris Johnson is paid to be the political head of our country and seems to be a fool who is principally concerned with his own financial interests, and makes us cry from his lack of leadership. Jeremy Corbyn did irreparable damage to the Labour Party and we can only hope that the Conservatives take the necessary action before the same fate befalls them (“Johnson-haters in the party can smell blood”, comment, Dec 10).
Marcus Margulies
London W1J

Sir, The Labour Party has maintained a dignified stance on Covid legislation in the House of Commons, believing the national interest supersedes any political advantage. This is to be applauded. However, such is the loss of integrity in the government, with the resulting threat to public health of non-adherence to the rules, that the greater national interest next week is to join rebel Tory MPs in voting against the latest government Covid legislation (“Vaccine passports leave the PM facing his biggest rebellion yet”, Dec 10). A government defeat would send out the clearest signal to the prime minister that he cannot treat the public as fools. Playing politics is now the greatest imperative.
Simon Edwards
Sarremezan, France

Sir, When Boris Johnson’s daughter sits on his knee and says to him, “Daddy what did you do in the Great Covid Crisis of 2019?” he will be able to look her squarely in the eye and say with full confidence, “You’ll have to ask my head of communications.”
Peter Steggles
Rushbury, Shropshire

Sir, The Conservatives’ use of “gatherings”, is interesting (sketch, Dec 10). In Old English it meant “suppurated swellings”.
Tina McDonald
Richmond, N Yorks

NHS FUNDING
Sir, The NHS is in a state of permanent crisis. Waiting lists are at record levels, patients struggle to see their GP and are dying in ambulances whilst in the queue at A&E (“Record numbers spend over 12 hours in A&E”, news, Dec 10). Pouring more money into an unreformed and inefficient NHS is the easiest way to ensure that the incumbent political party looks like it cares, and lasts beyond the next election cycle.

We are long overdue an overhaul of NHS funding. A select committee review involving all political parties, health economists and senior clinicians should be formed urgently. I don’t believe that the NHS can remain free at the point of delivery.
Dr Jonny Hobman FRCGP
Leeds

Sir, Reading the letter from John Britton (Dec 9) brought to mind my recent trip to receive a Covid booster jab. After receiving the vaccination, I was offered a sticker to put on my jacket stating “I received my booster today”. Absolutely fine had I been aged three or four but a complete waste of resources for me, a woman of a certain age. The cost of designing, printing and distributing more than 20 million stickers (to date) could surely have been put to better use — recruiting and training more desperately needed medical staff for example.
Marcia Yeates
Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex

OLYMPIC BOYCOTT
Sir, I find it hard to understand what the fuss is about with regard to a diplomatic boycott of the Olympic Games (news, Dec 9). First and foremost the games are a sporting festival for the athletes, their coaches and staff. To make the games happen judges, referees and umpires come from a cross-section of countries.

What function do the governmental delegations serve at such an event? It is not a G20 summit or a world climate conference. I know that some of our politicians like to be seen there, not because they have any interest in or knowledge of the sports, but because they crave the media spotlight and want to be associated with successful athletes. The removal of some of the hangers-on might make room for more of the genuine sporting supporters and the friends and families of those competing.
Richard Philips
Richmond, Surrey

HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
Sir, Professor Graham Zellick QC is correct to highlight peculiarities in the drafting of the Human Rights Act (letters, Dec 10). There is a further anomaly.

Parallel sections of the act purport to give enhanced protection to the press and to religious organisations. Courts must have “particular regard” to the importance of freedom of expression in relation to journalistic material where publication would be in the public interest (section 12) and must similarly have “particular regard” to the importance of freedom of thought, conscience and religion when determining questions concerning the exercise of that right by religious organisations (section 13).

The intervening years have demonstrated that these two sections lack the symbolic and substantive heft promised by the government of the day in response to extensive lobbying from the media and faith communities respectively. They have both proved toothless, to the consternation of some, but the delight of others. In consequence, the freedom of the press has been curtailed, not strengthened, and other rights prioritised over the precious asset that is religious freedom.
Professor Mark Hill QC
Temple, London EC4

ANTIVAX TAX
Sir, Antivaxers do have an argument that it is freedom of choice, but if they become more seriously ill their impact on the NHS is without question greater. Smokers and drinkers exercise their freedom of choice and hugely impact the NHS but pay very high taxes — a 40-a-day smoker will pay about £400 per month in tax to fuel their habit. Perhaps a monthly contribution from the unvaccinated would allow them to exercise their freedom of choice and help the NHS to boot.
Marc Lothian
Gweek, Cornwall

Sir, I have direct experience, from my own French family, of the influence of not being able to join family members in bars and restaurants in France without the passe sanitaire, or vaccine passport (letter, Dec 10). After a few weeks, those holding ill-informed and illogical views on vaccination managed to overcome their resistance to the jab. In doing so they contributed to France’s vaccination rate, previously poor by European standards, helping it to sail past our own. It is no shame to learn from the French on this matter.
Professor Richard B Jackman
Abbots Langley, Herts

STUDENT POLITICS
Sir, Student politics has rarely resulted in beneficial outcomes. When the Nazis burnt the books of those with whom they disagreed, students were in the vanguard. When Iran erupted in religious fervour and the ayatollah was installed, students were in the movement’s vanguard. They were also at the forefront of the Bolshevik revolution, which resulted in 70 years of oppression of eastern Europe. It is a mark of cowardly indolence that universities have ceded control of their seats of learning to virtue-signalling young people whose maturity and education is far from complete (leading article, Dec 9).
Laurence Factor
Stanmore, Middx

THE PRICE OF COFFEE
Sir, While coffee drinkers reading “There’s an awful lot less coffee from Brazil” (business, Dec 9) might be worried about rising prices, spare a thought for the farmers, who are struggling to produce the beans because of rising costs and losses due to extreme temperatures, pests and diseases caused by climate change.

Fairtrade has long campaigned for coffee farmers, many of whom cannot make a living from cultivating these beans, to get a better deal. Farmers in our system are protected by robust standards and are able to invest in their farms.

The problems in coffee right now highlight what a fragile commodity it is, and why we need to support farmers if we want to continue drinking it into the future.
Emma Mullins
Senior supply chain manager, Fairtrade Foundation

BRITISHNESS ON TV
Sir, You report that research shows support for government plans to compel the main UK broadcasters to make more programmes with Britishness at their core (news, Dec 10). Yet the three examples provided (Coronation Street, Dad’s Army and Only Fools and Horses) hardly succeed in differentiating between Britishness and Englishness. Given that “embracing diversity” is included in the list of fundamental British values, there can be little excuse for omitting examples such as Shetland and Keeping Faith (Un Bore Mercher in Welsh). A very good case can also be made for the inclusion of Gavin and Stacey.
Graham Davies
Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex

IN DEFENCE OF REEVES
Sir, I feel some defence is required of a possible Reeve ancestor (letter, Dec 10). Chaucer’s Reeve is also considered a highly efficient servant. The reeve was often elected by villagers. No doubt aware of his fleecing their probably oppressive lord, perhaps they were happy with the situation.
Dr Robert Reeves
Weymouth, Dorset

COMIC OPERA
Sir, Neil Peterson’s experience with Sir Edward Heath (letters, Dec 9) differs from mine. I found myself, with my in-laws, sharing a lift at Glyndebourne with Sir Edward, after an operatic performance. My brother-in-law asked him what he thought of the show. Sir Edward more than commented, he gave a diatribe listing the shortcomings of the production, which he clearly hated. All the while my sister-in-law stood silently clutching a bin bag with the remains of our recent picnic leaking a stream of soy sauce onto the floor. I can’t remember the opera, but the encounter was unforgettable.
Dr Charles Sandeman-Allen
Hartfield, East Sussex

ROTTWEILER FM
Sir, It appears that some dogs respond to spoken language (report, Dec 8; letters, Dec 9 & 10). My rottweiler doesn’t; he’s ace at ignoring me. However, he does howl like a wolf on hearing the theme tune to Desert Island Discs. I have no idea why.
Lesley Henshaw
Driffield, E Yorks