Letter: Exams that help pupils to achieve their potential

Sir: I am writing to express my concern at the decline in quality of this country's politicians. Over recent years I believe standards have gradually been eroded by the woolly-minded professionals

who run the selection panels which all our political parties rely on.

The method of assessment lacks rigour and has lost the confidence of the nation. As evidence one has only to look at the performance of today's politicans. They seem unable to make decisions without an army of advisers, and once made they seem unable to avoid changing them within a short space of time, causing massive disruption.

I, for one, long to return to the 'gold standard' when politicans took little interest in anything and thus avoided the errors which so many of our present-day incumbents make.

Yours faithfully,

J. F. SAMUELS

Southampton

Hampshire

2 September