Boris Johnson has to listen to the experts over Covid – not factions within his own party

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

The PM has tough decisions to make this spring (PA)

We are all desperate to return to some semblance of normality and are keen to hear the government road map out of lockdown. However, without exception we should all appreciate that it is the scientific experts that must guide us not the politicians that have botched previous attempts.

Unfortunately there is always an exception and to hear the Covid Recovery Group (CRG) proclaim their road map is disconcerting. Steve Baker is hiding behind the guise of libertarianism. Ironically the ill-named CRG is a menace to recovery, a threat to the successful suppression of Covid.

I can only hope that this time the PM will listen to the experts and not be swayed by factions.

Paul Morrison

Glasgow

Medical insurance

Discussing the merits of medical insurance schemes seems a little pointless when the public funding of the NHS is so completely wired into our DNA. Anything that remotely looks different is political suicide.

There is one big advantage to having such love and trust in the NHS; the percentage of uptake of the vaccines so far in the UK is truly world-beating.

Tony Beck

Nottingham

Your letters page showed again why it is impossible to have an intelligent debate on funding the NHS in this country. As soon as anyone suggests stopping the current model, someone screams: "But we don't want to end up like the USA".

True for most of us. But most of the rest of Europe runs social insurance models. I'm sure none of them are perfect, but to have some idea of the pros and cons of these different systems would be a great help.

Kirsten Williams

Buxton

Black mark

I'm sorry, I can't let this slide. Your top 20 of 1971 has a glaring omission – Black Sabbath's Master of Reality. Not only should it be on the list, it should be number one.

That album has had more impact and influence on pop music than, dare I say, any album since – and certainly more than any album on that list. It has spawned entire genres and countless imitators.

Chris White

Address supplied

Which witch-hunt?

Donald Trump described his impeachment trial as the “greatest witch-hunt in the history of our country”. Hasn't the former president heard of McCarthyism or perhaps the, er, Salem witch trials?

Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne

The outcome of Donald Trump's second impeachment could not be more peachy. The Democrats did the right thing and were seen to do so. The Republicans did all the wrong things and were seen to do so.

The overwhelming irony is that the only folk Trump can now significantly damage are the Republicans. From here in the UK, I feel only hope for the US under Joe Biden – and watch with interest for karma to come knocking on Boris Johnson's door.

Amanda Baker

Edinburgh