Don’t sack Boris Johnson over his Russia and World Cup comments

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If we got rid of the Foreign Secretary, who would replace him? (Getty)

I note plenty of letters calling for the removal of Boris Johnson. The problem we have is the chronic dearth of talent throughout the parliamentary Tory party. If one removes the “rebel” MPs and the anti-EU zealots on the right, then the choices of who is left, I feel, are very limited. I could easily call for the removal of four or five other ministers, but goodness knows who they could be replaced by. In all my years, I think this is the most inept bunch I can remember.

Robert Boston
Kingshill, Kent

It seems to me that those criticising the Foreign Secretary’s remarks about Hitler, Putin and the World Cup are rather off the point. Boris Johnson made no reference to the part played by the Russian people in the last war; that was a propaganda smokescreen puffed out by the Russian ambassador.

In fact, it could be said that the Foreign Secretary let Putin off lightly, as he might have gone on to draw the obvious similarities between Putin’s annexation of the Crimea and Hitler’s of the Sudetenland. Perhaps we would be advised to pay more attention to Johnson’s warnings than was paid to Churchill’s in the 1930s.

Granville Davies
Horsmonden

Brexit is fertile ground for Putin

Under Putin, Russia has reverted to patterns of history. The usual compound of arrogance and insecurity has been adapted to use modern techniques and follow up new possibilities.

Now Russia has been trying it on, to put it colloquially, with the UK for years. Brexit has just provided a golden opportunity for extending its influence. In the words of MEP Guy Verhofstadt, it has displayed its contempt for “rules-based international order and its fundamental values”.

Sigismund Augustus, the 16th century King of Poland, could not have expressed it better. Russian governments are the victims of their climate and terrain – conquer or be conquered. We should be careful not to become their victims at second hand.

Margaret Brown
Address supplied

Why shouldn’t Russia boycott us?

So England is wondering whether to boycott the World Cup in Russia. Surely Russia should be excluding England because of the dreadful hooliganism of its fans, seen most recently in Holland.

Rachel Greenwood
Bewdley

I can no longer “beleave” in our politicians

As a 14-year-old, I feel that my generation has been taken advantage of. Today’s young people have, in my view, been labelled as ignorant, uninterested and generally apathetic. If accusations are correct, the “BeLeave” campaign has taken this archetypal image and manipulated not only the individuals involved but the public image of my generation: whilst many of my peers do not feel politically educated or motivated, there are a number who do.

If the accusations are correct, then the campaign have used my generation and, instead of fuelling genuine activism, they have used us as a front and instead of guiding the leaders of the group, they have exploited their naivety. I feel like my generation has been mocked by the misuse of power: there are a limited number of effective political outputs for people my age and rather than running an effective campaign they have instead transgressed our integrity.

Noah Rouse
Bath

Homeopathy can and does work

If homeopathy is “quackery”, as Michael Pate claims (Letters, 25 March), how come it works so well on the wildlife rescued by my sanctuary, Little Foxes Wildlife Rescue? The animals have no idea they’re being treated, and yet the results are extremely significant. One excellent example is the efficacy of homeopathic sulphur to treat ringworm in hedgehogs. Ringworm is a stubborn thing to shift.

If his claim that the mere act of rubbing one’s back relieves the ache, it looks like the NHS can be saved millions. That’s the trouble with those who ridicule homeopathy. They just can’t accept that something they don’t understand could possibly work. I’m glad I’m less arrogant, and can thus benefit from homeopathy, like many thousands of other people, and animals too.

Penny Little
Great Haseley, Oxfordshire