If Rishi Sunak won’t do his duty, what exactly is he good for?

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

At least Boris Johnson showed up for Cop26 (PA)

Global Britain? My goodness that phrase rings hollow now. Our new prime minister supported Brexit, one of the aims of which was (by all accounts) to allow Britain to take its place on the world stage unencumbered by obligations to its former partners in Europe. So how has that worked out?

Britain has absented itself from the world stage where the rest of the world is trying to tackle the most important issue facing our planet at Cop27 – but apparently Sunak doesn’t have time to go. This is depressing beyond belief. I find myself looking back almost with nostalgia to Boris Johnson prancing around on the beach in Cornwall for Cop26. At least he showed up!

Yes, there is a financial statement to prepare, but Sunak has a chancellor to do that. Or has he forgotten that he is now prime minister; a rather different, bigger job? A couple of weeks ago we were all wondering “what is the point of Liz Truss”? I now find myself wondering, if he isn’t representing our country at important world gatherings like Cop27, “what is the point of Rishi Sunak”?