Letters - Thursday, July 22, 2021

We were treated to an insight into Boris Johnson’s ego when he prorogued Parliament, shutting down a democratically elected Government to get his own way, and then he closed the matter.

He ignored advice – he knew best – by choosing not to attend five Cobra meetings at the start of the Covid crisis and then closed the matter.

He refused to discuss failing to reprimand Dominic Cummings, Robert Jenrick, his own father and Matt Hancock for misconduct and then he closed the matter.

He refused to discuss why he delayed imposing travel restrictions on a country where the virus was out of control, allowing tens of thousands of possibly infected travellers to enter this country, and then he closed the matter.

Now with the number of cases and deaths from the Delta variant on the rise he’s absolved himself of any responsibility and then, guess what, he closed the matter.

Before anyone asks could I have done it any better, no, I couldn’t.

Allen Jenkinson

via email

ROADS

Pavement parking is a danger to many

Everyone should be able to walk on pavements without worrying about vehicles blocking their way.

Cars parked on pavements force people into the road, which is particularly dangerous for many, including blind and partially sighted people, parents with pushchairs and young children, wheelchair users and others who use mobility aids.

Pavement surfaces are not designed to carry the weight of vehicles, and the added maintenance cost of repairing cracked and damaged paving adds an unnecessary financial burden to our already cash-strapped council.

Susan Channing

via email

VIRUS

First duty of government

Thomas Jefferson is reputed to have said: “The first duty of government is the protection of life, not its destruction. Abandon that, and you have abandoned all.”

Dominic Cummings’ latest revelations have confirmed Boris Johnson’s reluctance to lockdown in September, despite calls by Sage and the opposition parties, and also his stated willingness to sacrifice the over-80s.

His shout of “Let the bodies pile high in their thousands”, corroborated by numerous sources, confirms his callous disregard for life.

The result of the delay of lockdown from September to November caused the second wave to be worse than the first, taking over 93,000 lives.

That disregard continued with the three-week delay on placing India on the red-list, allowing the Delta variant to flood the country, causing the third wave.

The present reckless removal of all restrictions will cause more deaths and untold pressure on the NHS whilst condemning a generation of the young to Long-Covid.

This is a tragedy. Johnson has broken the first duty of government: the protection of life.

This man is not fit to be Prime Minister He should go.

Mike Baldwin

via email

VIRUS

I don’t want to be a party pooper...

So Boris has spoken again, having taken to the infamous podium draped with Union Jacks and with Chris Whitty and Patrick Valance in tow.

Basically, as of July 19, we are told it’ll be a case of down to the pub, on with the show, off with the masks and goodbye to social distancing, yet the announcements were made amidst reports that showed that rates of Covid were going up, not down.

I hate to be a party pooper. I want the old normal back as much as the next person does.

We are just not ready to relax so many restrictions.

A large number of youngsters haven’t even had the first vaccine yet, never mind the second.

As far as I’m concerned, the masks stay on and the social distancing continues.

Call me a wet blanket if you like, but I’ve a feeling Boris is going to regret all this. I only hope he won’t realise once it’s too late that he’s made a bad move. I hope I’m wrong but we shall see.

Cathy Langan

via email

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