Boris Johnson’s ability to run the country was a secondary consideration

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Boris Johnson visits a building site (Getty Images)

To answer Richard Warrell’s question as to why Boris Johnson was elected, go no further than ordinary people. Tories around the country wanted somebody who could win a general election. Boris was that person. His ability to run the country was a secondary consideration, and might have remained so in the absence of the coronavirus.

Cole Davis

Norwich

Convicting Assange

I always find Patrick Cockburn’s articles informative and thought-provoking and his warnings about the possible effects of Julian Assange’s extradition proceedings are pertinent as ever.

What is omitted from the article, however, is whether we are to believe that he would not get a fair trial in the US. If prosecutors there have flimsy or no evidence as asserted, are we to understand that Cockburn’s view is that jury and judge are likely to convict anyway?

I would have thought that if evidence of harm is so thin prosecutors would have a hard time obtaining a conviction, there or here.

Bob Fennell

Bromley

London transport

The prime minister has the gall (accompanied by an ill-concealed smirk) to blame Transport for London’s current financial situation on the London Mayor and an “irresponsible fare package”.

He conveniently overlooks his own easy access to funds from a friendly Tory government during his time as mayor, alongside his waste of our money on a useless water cannon and a fantasy garden bridge.

He compounds this canard by conveniently overlooking the terrible impact of coronavirus – which he has personally mismanaged to a catastrophic degree. He tries, in his faux-Churchillian manner, to get “this great country” to pull together.

He could start by supporting the London Mayor in these very difficult times.

Beryl Wall

London

Infection rates

As the infection rate surges, potentially as a result of what may have been regrettable governmental advice, I understand that some people may now be struggling to understand the government’s confusing and apparently conflicting rules regarding Covid-19 – and not least the significance of the reproduction number. But I think that they simply need to pay greater heed to the prime minister’s words. All that is necessary is to sit down and listen to one of Boris Johnson’s speeches on the subject and the meaning of R’s will become abundantly clear.

Julian Self

Milton Keynes

Presidential debate

I don’t know what Mary Dejevsky was watching – but she sure wasn’t watching the diabolical, excruciating circus that was advertised as a “debate”.

Mary uses the word “pithy” to describe the contest but pithy it wasn’t. What is was was a disgraceful example of how politics are conducted in America – and to some extent in the UK also.

There was no order given and no consideration of each argument, so how could there be a debate or indeed any discussion of any merit? The people of America were hopefully as distressed at the way, especially Mr Trump, behaved towards Mr Biden, and will look closely at who they want to represent them in the future.

It is extremely disturbing to see that a president who is as ignorant and uneducated in the ways of state, as Trump is, is now and may be a future president. To think that Mr Trump is said to be the most powerful leader in the world is astonishing, as it is frightening. To think he has his finger on the nuclear button fills me with fear.

This president thinks that by doing nothing the Covid-19 pandemic will “just go away” because he says so. Now we know it’s not “fake news” or “hoaxes” but is actually happening. Wake-up America or you’ll be in deeper doodoo if he is elected again.

Keith Poole

Basingstoke

Leaked ideas

It really isn’t surprising that the home secretary, Priti Patel, and her department came up with their weird and wacky ideas, after all aren’t they the sort of thing you would expect from an organisation that has hostility to immigration so thoroughly embedded in its culture?

What is surprising is that it appears someone at the Home Office has sufficient humanity and conscience to leak the ideas. Whoever that is, thank you.

David Wallis

Cirencester