The influence and power of special advisers in No 10 surely needs scrutiny. But why did cabinet ministers meekly accept Theresa May’s kitchen cabinet decision-making and their humiliations at the hands of her now-sacked co-chiefs of staff (Report, theguardian.com, 10 June)? Why did they not insist on reviewing the draft manifesto, and on participating fully in the campaign? They appear to have justified the Spitting Image sketch of the cabinet as Thatcher’s “vegetables”. Were they all in favour of the election, which must have severely diverted the attention of the whole cabinet from final preparations for EU negotiations? The recent silence of Conservative party chairman Patrick McLoughlin speaks volumes. Where did he stand in all this?
John Birkett
St Andrews
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