Letters: End the lie that Boris Johnson has saved the UK from Covid

But what about that claimed “world-leading vaccine and booster roll-out”? Certainly gambling the public’s money on backing a number of favoured vaccines, and particularly the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, got the UK off to a good start in spite of PPE stocks having been run down or being out of date and the NHS in the process of being slimmed down ahead of privatisation. However, not only has the UK been overtaken in vaccine take-up by many countries, including a number of our European neighbours, it has also been revealed that the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine appears to be comparatively ineffective in combating the Omicron variant, with rapidly waning "immunity" making the booster roll-out a necessity.

Perhaps the next time Fiona Bruce, Jo Coburn, Stephen Jardine or Martin Geisler hosts another Tory MP or MSP TV propaganda slot our self-serving Tory politicians will at least be challenged on their deceitful statements, never mind on the billions and billions of pounds wasted in illegal "VIP contracts", defective PPE supplies and a malfunctioning test and trace regime.

Stan Grodynski, Longniddry.

YOUSAF HAS BEEN WOEFUL

WHILE the media and politicians and many of your letter writers are obsessing about Boris Johnson and what is a party and what isn’t, our Health Secretary is getting away with a woeful performance that is impacting on people’s lives.

It is not long since Humza Yousaf advised us to only attend A&E if it were life-threatening and if we had broken bones to attend the minor injuries unit. Now he has asked us not to attend GP practices and to seek alternatives where possible. I know that there are some people who waste doctors’ time but surely it is up to the GPs to deal with the individuals who they know are using the service inappropriately rather than the Health Secretary to put out such a general statement.

How long will it be before we are told that we should avoid any activities that might cause us to get ill or injured? Accidents happen and people get ill. We need a health service that can look after us. It is the Scottish Government’s job to protect us, not our job to shield the Scottish NHS.

Jane Lax, Aberlour.

WHAT DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE?

NOW that Nicola Sturgeon has deemed it fit for the restrictions imposed hurriedly last month to be lifted ("Scotland to scrap rules as Omicron cases fall", The Herald, January 19), can we hope to have an investigation of the damage they have done to the hospitality trade in particular? Restaurants, pubs, sporting venues, taxis, and all the unseen army of people who provide services for these facilities, have taken another beating, for no apparent reason. It’s almost as if the SNP doesn’t like private business.

Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh.

*WHEN Nicola Sturgeon addressed Holyrood regarding the latest relaxation of Covid restrictions, she started by referring to her Cabinet meeting that morning to decide. What a lot of nonsense. as it had all been leaked and reported a few days earlier. However, no show without Punch.

Duncan Sooman, Milngavie.

USE IGNORANCE AS A DEFENCE

I BELIEVE more than 17,000 people have been fined after being dealt with by the police for alleged Covid breaches.

I think they should all appeal using the defence offered by no less a person than the Prime Minister – namely no person actually warned them that they were actually breaking the law ("Johnson flatly denies he was warned party at No 10 was against rules", The Herald, January 19).

It's a new defence without precedent in our criminal law system. If it’s good enough for him it must surely be good enough for them.

Regardless of status, we do all operate under the same legal system – don’t we?

Stewart Falconer, Alyth.

SO WHOM SHOULD WE TRUST?

DOMINIC Cummings says Boris Johnson was warned that the May 20 party was not within the rules. Mr Johnson says Mr Cumming said no such thing. Please have pity on us, the poor British public, because we don’t know which of these liars should be trusted above the other.

Robin Mather, Musselburgh.

* IF a pathological liar tells you he is lying, is he telling the truth?

Thomas Brennan, Glasgow.

DOUBLE STANDARDS FROM STURGEON

SO Nicola Sturgeon accuses Boris Johnson of pursuing "cheap, populist policies" such as freezing the BBC licence fee to distract voters from Downing Street scandals. This from the politician who, immediately prior to last May's Holyrood election, promised to give away free bikes, laptops and tablets in a bid to win votes. Double standards perhaps?

Martin Redfern, Melrose.

WAKEFORD OUGHT TO RESIGN

ALL MPs need be mindful of the words on the memorial to Stewart of Garth, "Cuimhnichibh air na daoine bho’n d’thainig sibh" ("Remember the people whom you come from"). In December 2019 the majority of the electors of Bury South did not vote for a Labour MP. Accordingly, Christian Wakeford, an elected Conservative who has crossed the floor of the House of Commons, should do the honourable thing and resign and cause a by-election to be called for the electors to decide his fate.

Leslie Mutch, Dingwall.

MAKE GOVERNMENT MERITOCRATIC

YOU would think that, out of the 50 million or so adults in the UK, we could find a more suitable person to lead the country than Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson.

But of course that discounts the anomaly in the British political system, indeed in all the higher echelons of British life, that the top dogs, with some honourable, or possibly dishonourable, exceptions, must come from a certain strata of society, almost certainly having attended an elite school, and preferably one of two universities.

This is compounded by the fact that this clan generally associate almost exclusively with others of their sect, not to mention marrying and procreating within that same limited gene pool.

It’s aye been thus, but never has the inadequacy of this system been so transparently revealed as in our current incumbents.

Surely it is now clear to all that a more meritocratic system of government is desperately needed.

Les Mackay, Dundee.

THANKS HEAVENS FOR THE QUEEN

AS the headlines in the media continue to belong to the shortcomings of Boris Johnson and his Cabinet members it is easy to overlook that in Britain we do have a shining light whose leadership qualities go on, unequalled both in action and public demeanour. Yes of course, Her Majesty The Queen.

It could not have been easy for her to deal with the loss of her husband quickly followed by the revelations about her second son, Prince Andrew. No doubt she has advisers who could arrange to soften the press reaction to Andrew’s behaviour but she took it on the chin and took decisive action. What a pity she was not our political leader when Mr Johnson took over the Government. No doubt she would have sent Dominic Cummings on his bike for breaking the Covid restrictions after going for an eye test. In addition I am sure she would have advised Mr Cummings that if he was to represent her and her Government then he should dress accordingly and not like a refugee from a charity shop.

Whilst we are told that we have to accept Mr Johnston’s style of leadership as “just the way he is”, it is wonderful that there is someone in Britain setting the highest standards and a magnificent example to us all in the country.

Ally Martin, Dundee.

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