Jonathan Freedland’s assertion that Boris Johnson’s cabinet “is startlingly rightwing” is, sadly, something of an understatement (From today, the Brexiters will have no one else to blame, 25 July). The co-authors of Britannia Unchained, which infamously described British workers as “among the worst idlers in the world”, and British children having no aspiration, being only “interested in football and pop music”, are in such dominant roles, they are bound to have a huge influence on all policies. With Raab and Patel at the Foreign and Home offices respectively, Truss the international trade secretary and Kwarteng as business minister, all talk of Johnson’s “one nation” conservatism is clearly nonsense.
So much for the prime minister’s pledges on “uniting our country”. The book actually stated that the UK should stop the irrelevant debates about “sharing the pie between manufacturing and services, the north and the south, women and men”. Heaven help us.
Bernie Evans
Liverpool
• Jonathan Freedland refers to Dominic Cummings as having been found in contempt of parliament. I cannot see anywhere any reference to the consequences of that, such as jail, or a fine, or being banned from holding public office or working for someone in public office. So what does contempt of parliament mean if there are no consequences?
Peter Green
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
• Tom Lehrer famously said political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel peace prize. Presumably, the aim in offering an advisory post to Dominic Cummings is to render moral discrimination of any kind a waste of time.
Michael Ayton
Durham
• In forming a government packed with Vote Leave campaigners and rightwingers (Ruthless Johnson takes his revenge, 25 July), Johnson has ignored the advice attributed to Lyndon Johnson that it is better to have your opponents inside the tent pissing out than outside pissing in. We shall see what comes to pass … and where from!
John Gaskin
Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire
• Your editorial (25 July) regarding Johnson’s cabinet appointments hits the nail on the head. In contrast to Gordon Brown’s “Goats” (government of all the talents), can we now anticipate “Goals” – government of all the liars?
Dr Karen Postle
Titchfield, Hampshire
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