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Boris Johnson’s father is now a French citizen – how nice for him

Stanley Johnson is now a French citizen and an EU citizen (AFP via Getty)
Stanley Johnson is now a French citizen and an EU citizen (AFP via Getty)

The man who persuaded 17 million people to take European citizenship away from all 70 million UK subjects may now be able to regain his own European citizenship.

Stanley Johnson is now a French citizen and an EU citizen. His spoiled, entitled and privileged son can probably follow his lead.

As the losses of our freedoms and our nation’s increasing conflict with our neighbours in Europe become apparent, surely we can see this man for who and what he is.

Never in the history of our United Kingdom has one man taken so many freedoms, protections and benefits away from so many people. He is so self-absorbed that he cannot recognise his compulsive deceit and the damage he has done to our nation.

Martin Deighton

Woodbridge

Food banks

While I agree that it is a terrible state of affairs when NHS staff are forced to use food banks, nurses are not so badly paid compared with many of us in the private sector.

We do not have any help at all. We have often not had pay rises for years. Any bonus schemes that may have been in place never paid out and have now long gone. We certainly do not have pension schemes where the employer pays in so much as in the public sector.

And when nurses get incrementals, which some do – that’s what we call a pay rise. We don’t get more just for staying in the job. Indeed, in the current job market, often a new recruit is more highly paid just to get them to come, compared to the existing member of staff who then has to train them.

I’m not trying to attack anyone in the NHS, but to point out that we are all suffering at least as much as NHS staff. It is a dreadful situation that these workers are suffering, but it is no more dreadful than for those of us in the private sector whose taxes also are going up.

There seems to be a belief within the public sector that they have it worse than those of us in the private sector. That is not the case.

Please condemn this government, run by the very worst fat cats, on behalf of anyone needing to use a food bank, anyone who can never even think about owning where they live, and anyone who struggles with heating and rental rises, no matter if they are employed in the public or private sector.

Jan Scott

Address supplied

Sue Gray report

If Sue Gray’s report really is independent, why didn’t she just refuse a meeting with the prime minister until after the report was published?

Val Hatton

Address supplied

Partygate fines

It seems very strange that the prime minister has escaped the much-anticipated additional Partygate fines.

The reason touted is that Downing Street is his main residence and provided him with a reasonable excuse under the regulations.

Maybe I am just missing the point here, but partying at work or at home was not permitted. A more reasonable explanation is that there is one set of rules for them and another for the rest of us.

Paul Morrison

Glasgow

Who allowed Partygate to happen?

As we reach the conclusion of the Partygate scandal with the publication of Sue Gray’s long-awaited report, it is important that the correct question is now answered.

It is not just who was guilty of breaching lockdown laws in Downing Street, and how many times they did so, but who allowed it to happen.

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The answer would appear to be obvious – the prime minister, aided and abetted by the head of the civil service. I believe that both should now resign.

I would suggest that the Metropolitan Police also share responsibility. How is it that the police who guard Downing Street turned a blind eye to the goings on just yards away with loud music and suitcases of booze being ferried past? Perhaps Sue Gray should extend her enquiry into the dubious behaviour of Met in this whole affair.

Chris Norris

Wiltshire

First past the post

John Rentoul writes on Saturday: “Many Labour MPs remain adamantly opposed to PR, including Starmer himself.”

This is unfortunate as I would have thought (and hoped) that proportional representation (PR) would have wide support amongst the public. A system of PR would produce a more fair and representative result and is widely used in Europe.

Aside from this, who wants to share an electoral system with Belarus – the only other country in Europe to use the “winner takes all” system that we currently have?

Michael Guest

Norfolk