If we voted on policies, the Labour manifesto would prove popular. Instead we are encouraged by most of the media to vote on the personalities of the leaders. The Tories are promoting Theresa May in the manner of an executive president, and not as a prime minister – “the first among equals”. Jeremy Corbyn is not convincing as a charismatic populist, but why should we want one? A prime minister should be a fair chairman of a vigorous cabinet and not an autocrat. It’s time for the cabinet to “take back control”.
Laurence Gibson
Stowe, Buckinghamshire
• If Len McCluskey wishes to help Labour win the election (Report, 17 May), then a period of silence from him will go a long way toward assisting the campaign.
Bruce Tyrer
Bristol
• It’s good to see details of Labour’s manifesto. It gives us a good idea of what the Tories will be suggesting, and the Daily Mail endorsing, next time.
Mark Coulthard
Keighley, West Yorkshire
• If we need a political mantra to sum up the Tories (Letters, 12 May), then I suggest: “Punish the poor, milk the middle, reward the rich.”
Richard Gilyead
Saffron Walden, Essex
• Marina Hyde writes that the prime minister’s hero was Geoffrey Boycott (May at the wicket, 17 May). The electorate will know this is the case when Theresa May talks about “line and length” as opposed to “strong and stable”, and when she says of opponents “there’s more brains in a pork pie”. No doubt she is also hoping her Brexit negotiations are not undertaken in the corridor of uncertainty.
Toby Wood
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
• Marina Hyde’s comparison between May’s election campaign and Boycott’s unbeaten 246 against India omits the most one important fact – he was dropped for the next Test match. We can but hope history repeats itself.
Paul Jeremy
Brighton
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