Our Prime Ministers are little more than professional fools

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Tony Blair served as UK Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007 (PA)

Please permit me to disagree with just one point made by Patrick Cockburn in his excellent article about the Chilcot report. The opposite of “expert” is not “amateur”. The opposite of “expert” is probably “fool”, and I don't believe it is too distant from the truth to describe the two Prime Ministers named as extremely foolish in their approach to Iraq, rather than amateurish.

To say the opposite of “expert” is “amateur” is to denigrate a large number of “amateurs” who are extremely knowledgeable, capable and competent in their chosen field, and may indeed be considered experts in that field.

Maybe more interesting to note is that the opposite of “amateur” is “professional”. A professional does something for money or reward, often quite significant, whereas an amateur does something for the sheer love of the subject itself without claiming beneficial reward.

Maybe instead of describing the two named Prime Ministers as “having a strong smell of amateurism” in their behaviour, Patrick Cockburn should have described them as “professional fools”.

Phil Rolandi
Frimley, Surrey

I think people need to be clear about one thing. If Blair had not taken us into the Iraq war, the outcome would have been just the same, except the only deaths to have been avoided would have been in the British armed forces. The US would have gone ahead with the invasion without the UK, and the post-conflict carnage would have still played out.

Blair's commitment to the US, to “be with you whatever”, needs to be seen not in the context of 9/11 but rather through the prism of New Labour, and the desire of the Blair/Brown axis to position themselves as a safe pair of hands, both in the way they ran the economy (giving independence to the Bank of England) and the defence of the realm, in providing unequivocal support to the special relationship. This was part of their “triangulation” strategy by which they neutralised Conservative opposition.

For Blair, flushed with the success, and probably hubris, of his minor military engagements in Kosovo and Sierra Leone, the prospect of becoming a real wartime PM (as with his hero Thatcher) was clearly beguiling, and he was way too quick off the mark in pledging his unequivocal support for Bush. This aspect of Blair's messianic leadership is skillfully analysed by John Kampfner in his 2003 book Blair's Wars.

Blair's legacy? There could surely have been no greater one than if Blair had stood firm with his European counterparts in opposing the war, and had been the man who used his undoubted powers of persuasion, and Special Relationship, to get George W Bush to stand down his military and let the arms inspectors finish their task.

Ian McBain
Loughton, Essex

Isn’t time for Britain to have a written constitution? The awesome power to decide on going to war, or entering a political union with others, should not be left to one person on behalf of an entire nation of millions. The present problems leaving the European Union present enough evidence to show that the people should have been consulted before the decision to join. Likewise, the consequences from the decision to go to war with Iraq would be more tolerable today had the people been consulted before committing the lives of many.

A momentous decision that will have national and international consequence should be approved by Parliament, and only sent to the people in a referendum by a two thirds majority vote in both houses. A referendum to reverse a bad decision creates chaos and anxiety.

Frank Phipps QC
Kingston, Jamaica

Have people forgotten how Saddam's regime treated the UN weapon inspection team? They were treated with utter contempt, despite warnings from the Security Council. It begs the question whether the UN is fit for purpose in a modern world.

Simon Ripley
Gateshead

When I was a proper person (albeit a student) and not a crumbly to be ignored, I was hitchhiking through the Netherlands and decided to stay over in Amsterdam in 1971. There I met another hitcher from Ljubljana, which was then in Yugoslavia.

One thing she said has always stuck in my mind: “When [then-president] Tito goes from Yugoslavia, the country will fly apart and I shall leave the homeland I love, because it will be impossible to stay.” She was no fan of Tito and no doubt her words were politically motivated, but she and her family had realised that someone has to hold things together. It all came to pass, and I hope she was OK.

In the light of Chilcot, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. Whether Santayana, or Burke, or whoever, the meaning holds. But then, what do “experts” know when war is the object? Pace Kelly, Blix et al.

Helena Ankhart
Brixham, Devon

Is there any wonder there was such a rush to depose Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party before the Chilcot report was published. He and his main supporters, despite the whip voted against the war, clearly the right course of action for any MP that believed in democracy and the futility of war. Hilary Benn, Tom Watson, Angela Eagle were all supporters of the war. Why, now they have had their coup, are they not challenging Jeremy's leadership? We all know the answer. But now they have come this far, they will have to make a challenge. How long will we have to wait?

Angela Elliott
Hundleby, Lincs

Europe divided

The lack of any plan after the referendum has caused chaos, just as lack of any plan for the Iraq war has caused bloodshed ever since. We were let down by Tony Blair and have been let down again by David Cameron. Parliament should vote to remain in Europe. It is the job of parliament to take care of the country, despite the vote to leave.

Liza Russell
Address withheld

Oh Britain, Britain, Britain! How many more deeds, events and British politicians are going to shame us?

I used to be proud to say “I’m British” because of what I thought we stood for. But judging by the actions of those British politicians who have appeared in the media over the past couple of weeks, we must seem a very immoral, shameful, hypocritical bunch. It does not bode well for us travelling abroad or just meeting folk from other countries in the future as, rightly or wrongly, we will be prejudged by the actions of our fellow countrymen and political leaders, and “welcomed” accordingly.

It's going to take a long, long while to rebuild our image and reputation in the world. Listen up, world, please. We're not all like them!

Linda Bateman
St Albans

I have been following the aftermath of the disastrous Leave result of the Brexit referendum from afar, and would just like to add my voice to that of those readers who are calling for a second referendum. It is surely iniquitous that such a crucial issue should be decided by such a narrow margin, with 28 per cent of registered voters not making it to the polls, as well as the fact that it now appears that many people were not sure what they were voting for.

I certainly think a second referendum should be held, and that perhaps, for this one time only, voting should be compulsory, as in Australia. I am totally unimpressed with all the British parliamentarians. Maybe a speedy general election would be a good idea? Theresa May’s idea of repatriating EU citizens who have made their home in Britain is, I think, extremely heartless.

We have many problems in South Africa, as I'm sure most people are aware – but at least we have a written constitution, and a constitutional court, which is the final court of appeal.

Celia Chalmers
Johannesburg, South Africa

The comments by the European Commission trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström that the UK will not be able to start talks on a new trade arrangement with the EU until other aspects of its exit have been settled should act as a wake-up call to us here in Scotland. Between Brexit and the signing of any new trade deal, business between the UK and EU would be conducted under World Trade Organisation rules, damaging businesses and economies within the UK.

In the worse-case scenario, it could take up to a decade for the UK to negotiate a new specific trade deal with the EU. Scotland has a higher reliance on trade as a contributor to our economic output than the rest of the UK, with just under half our international exports destined for the EU, and we will therefore see our economy hit hard.

However, we have a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of those companies who would potentially look to relocate from the rest of the UK to an independent Scotland as providing a gateway to the EU’s single market. Edinburgh indeed has the potential to take the UK’s finance crown from London as financial companies look to move operations, which a number are already looking at doing.

The right-wing think tank the Centre for Policy Studies has warned that an independent Scotland “could be a Greece without the sun” and hypocritically warned that Scotland leaving the UK would “entail significant economic risks.”

It is the UK Conservative Government that has created significant economic risks for Scotland, but we have a tremendous opportunity to deliver huge economic benefits for our nation. This requires us to take control of our own affairs within the EU as full members. The rest of the UK’s loss could prove to be Scotland’s gain.

Alex Orr
Edinburgh

Junior doctors ignored

The past fortnight has been particularly eventful for our government. Britain has voted to leave the EU, the Chilcot report has finally been published and the Department of Health has announced a new, imposed contract on junior doctors.

These three events have baffled me. On one hand, we have chosen to listen to 52 per cent of the general public – laymen – on an issue as important as our position in the EU. On the other hand, we have decided to ignore 58 per cent of junior doctors, professionals, on the safety and appropriateness of their new contract. And all at a time when a 2.6-million-word report, which took seven years to write and cost more than £10m, essentially criticises the Government for the poor use of information and intelligence.

Sir John Chilcot himself comments that the expectation now is that “it should not be possible in future to engage in ... an endeavour on such a scale and of such gravity without really careful challenge, analysis and assessment and with collective political judgement being applied to it”. How therefore is it possible for us to embrace the message in the Chilcot report, leave the EU and impose a contract on junior doctors, all at the same time?

I find it embarrassing to be British at the moment and this level of stupidity, ignorance and failure to apply common sense really underpins why.

Dr Stephen Wythe
London N16

No link between Ukip and the Rotary?

I am not sure why Matthew Norman, in his article on Nigel Farage, should have coupled Ukip and Rotary International (“The 1950s was not quite the paradise Rotarian and rural Ukippers care to believe”). Rotarians belong to an international charitable organisation whose aims include supporting worthwhile activities in local communities and getting rid of Polio. Ukippers, on the other hand, belong to a national political organisation whose aims include pulling out of the European Community and getting rid of Poles. I would like to think that they are not easily confused. Rotary's aims don't need testing in a referendum. They are also aims for the 21st century and have nothing to do with nostalgia for the Fifties.

Michael Hoey
Emeritus Professor of English Language
University of Liverpool

‘Govish propaganda’?

What trouble the Gove camp do have with personal communications. First the email, now the leaked text message – both full of information about the failings of an alternative prime ministerial candidate. They could surely not be viewed as Govish propaganda? Could they?

H Tearle
Harrogate

Spinning the tracks

Your report regarding the dropping of the HS2 station in Sheffield is a good example of spin by anti HS2 campaigners. This is not to make cuts, but recognises the need for a city centre station, something the City Fathers have advocated from day one.

Doug Flack
Derby

Education, education, education

This week 47 per cent of primary school children in Year 6 have been reported as failures due to the changes in expectations. Edcucation Secretary Nicky Morgan thinks this is OK.

What does she think those children will be feeling? These children have resilience, but there is so much they can take. The SATs tests have been a large part of their final year at primary school and this is what they get for the hard work they have put in. What about the teachers who have also worked so hard to get them to the standard?

And we wonder why we have children who rebel and teachers who change career. Let's hope Nicky Morgan sees the error of her ways.

K Nicholas
Christian Malford, Wiltshire

No wonder kids can't pass The 3 R’s. The Department for Education need to improve their standards, instead of dropping their standards to make themselves looking good.

Caroline Light
Salisbury