Does Boris Johnson really have a cunning plan?
It may be that Boris Johnson in his new role as Blackadder does indeed have a Baldrick with a cunning plan to steer the UK through the troubled waters of 31 October, in the shape of Dominic Cummings, who in the words of David Cameron, is “a career psychopath” (2 August). If so, then like most of Baldrick’s cunning plans, it is destined never to be revealed.
Johnson’s pretence of being a buffoon is probably founded on reality. His political record to date certainly indicates this. Any hope that underlying the outward facade there lies a subtle strategist must surely fade away after the confrontational antics in his recent cabinet reshuffle, together with his threatened bluff of taking the choice of new deal or no deal to the EU.
The EU leaders have clearly had enough of British prevarication and will most probably leave Johnson with the sole option of calling a general election.
The future for the UK is at best grim – perhaps the only silver lining could be a fresh referendum on Scottish independence coupled with a similar move by Northern Ireland.
Noel Bird
Boreen Point, Queensland, Australia
• The ascendancy of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson and their vision to make the US and the UK “great” again has gone beyond mere hubris to fantasy and delusion.
There is a tide of history and it has a power far beyond the capacity of even the best of US presidents and UK prime ministers. There will soon be a period of Chinese dominance and the US needs a next generation of leaders who can deal with the loss of primacy and the adjustments that will be required. In the case of the UK there will be further declines in the global pecking order and future UK leaders will have to make the best of that reality.
The challenge for the world is to minimise the economic, social, security and cultural damage of Trump and Johnson and pave the way for more effective leaders to emerge to deal with the huge problems of climate emergency, global inequality and poverty.
Stewart Sweeney
Adelaide, South Australia
• Perhaps future historians will conclude that the Battle of Brexit was lost on the playing fields of Eton?
John Wodak
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
Planting trees is only part of the climate solution
So planting 1.7bn hectares of treeless land with 1.2tn native tree saplings will mop up two-thirds of all CO2 emissions related to human activities (12 July). And if we can somehow arrest CO2 concentrations at current levels, we’ll be back to 1975 levels. Sounds good, but is it really achievable?
The quickest way to capture carbon is planting fast-growing species, but not for 30 cents per tree, as this requires nutrient inputs, pest control and enough rainfall. Altering landscapes can change the soil, which can work against reintroducing native species.
Thus planting native tree saplings is unlikely to work. And then there is storing the wood in perpetuity after it’s been harvested. Yes, more trees may be part of the solution to the climate crisis, but promoting that they might be the whole solution is the wrong message and distracts from what really needs to happen: zero net emissions pronto.
Chris Beadle
Battery Point, Tasmania, Australia
Educating the public is key to tackling Ebola
Ebola is surely here to stay. Médecins sans Frontières says “We need to listen with ferocity with what we want to be heard” (20 July). We need a media education ferocity too. People in the danger areas are suspicious of foreigners and their tools. When the next Ebola outbreak starts the medical parachutes brigade will enter and local suspicion and superstition will grow as the death numbers grow. Why not help locals to know what will happen? Media can educate.
Patrick Craddock
Greytown, New Zealand
Analysis of Mueller testimony was excellent
Congratulations on Emily Bell’s opinion piece on the superficial coverage of Robert Mueller’s testimony before the US Congress in the US press (2 August). Recently, I had been disappointed to see the emphasis on style over content in both The New York Times and The New Yorker in reporting this important event.
Bruce Auld
Borenore, NSW, Australia
It’s good to know that humour is alive and well
Gary Younge’s opinion (26 July) paints a rather depressing picture of UK politics. With Ben Jennings’ accompanying illustration, however, we are assured that British humour is alive and well.
André Carrel
Terrace, British Columbia, Canada
