Don’t blame Jo Swinson for Labour and the Tories’ failures. It’s time they were held accountable too

I have listened to Jo Swinson on the radio and on television over the past couple of weeks and I have been very impressed by her courage and fluency in the face of very – even overly – aggressive interviewing.

The Lib Dems’ ill-advisedly entered into a coalition with a toxic Tory party who set about destroying both Clegg and his party. Why aren’t the Tories criticised for student loans? The Lib Dem promise was given in the event of a majority government, not as a sideshow in a coalition.

Our main political parties have done far worse than the student loan debacle, after all.

Labour indulged the unions in the 1970s, to our massive detriment. They also invaded Iraq, tragically and illegally.

The Tories have overseen 10 years of austerity on the dishonest basis of Labour economic failure when they know there was a global financial collapse. Sajid Javid left Deutsche Bank in 2009 so knows all about the global financial collapse firsthand.

The Tories have destroyed lives through their antipathy to public services, through the poor implementation of universal credit, through their immigration policy, through their attitude towards the Windrush generation and to refugees, through their severe cuts to public services, through their heartless oversight of a massive increase in child poverty and in homelessness... and more.

And still, Swinson is shouted down for student loans. Why is that so unforgivable compared to the multiple, massive failings of Labour and Conservatives?

Beryl Wall
London W4

Hiding from democracy

The Tory party’s behaviour during this election campaign has been an absolute disgrace.

They have lied to and misled the electorate throughout, and continue to hide from public scrutiny, particularly Boris Johnson. Some mainstream media coverage, notably the BBC’s, has been disappointing too.

After the fridge debacle, any Johnson sympathisers seriously need to ask themselves what kind of statesman would choose to hide rather than face questions by journalists. Is this the man we are supposed to trust to negotiate a trade deal with the EU on our behalf?

Time and time again we’ve been told that this vote is about nothing but getting Brexit done, and that we’ll never have to hear the words Brexit again post-2020. That, too, is a lie.

Michel Barnier told a private meeting that the UK’s 11-month timetable to wrap up trade talks by 2021 is unrealistic, and that negotiations will drag on until long after the next year. I’m sure it will be longer if Johnson is involved.

If nothing else, over the last eight weeks, Johnson has proven himself unfit to lead the Tory party, let alone the country. We have done nothing to deserve him for five minutes, never mind the next five years.

Julie Partridge
London SE15

Getting Brexit done

I was pleased to read that Michel Barnier has finally put that erroneous idea of achieving a trade deal with the EU in eleven months where it belongs – in the Tories’ dustbin of lies about “getting Brexit done” swiftly and easily.

But I fear it might be too late. When we wake up on Friday, will this ghastly charade have borne fruit for Boris Johnson and allowed him a majority? I personally feel though that the electorate will have been more savvy than this and he might have overplayed his duplicitous hand. Here’s sincerely hoping, but it might be a case of eating my best wedding hat!

Judith A Daniels
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

Red is for Danger

Never have the choices been more serious as they present themselves in this election.

It is no longer a case of Leave or Remain; left or right; traditional bias or persuasion – no, this is far more serious.

What we have in this election is a basic choice between right and wrong.

How could our country be run by someone who has shown a long, clear affiliation with our enemies; someone who embraces far-left ideology that would destroy and degrade our country?

Underneath the plausible, mild, reasonable exterior we have a sinister thrust at British values that have been fought for over generations, a threat to national security, an intent to destroy businesses that underpin our economy and a deep undermining of relationships with America, shrouded in a deliberately misleading lack of clarity.

It is unthinkable that Britain could become communist but that is the reality we face.

Look deeper than the surface here and appreciate what the dangers really are before it’s too late.

Kevin Michel
Perth

Aung San Suu Kyi and genocide

The notion that there was no genocide perpetrated towards the Rohingya Muslim community in Myanmar baffles me.

This is an utter insult to the thousands who continue to sacrifice their wellbeing, lives and livelihoods on the altar of peace and freedom worldwide. It’s even more poignant that it coincided with the Human Rights Day, another occasion to remember the nameless heroes who work selflessly in the service of others.

Let us pay homage to Kashmiris, Palestinians, Syrians and Burmese among others whose voices are being stifled, needs are overlooked and human rights to access health, education, shelter, food, electricity and water are continually trampled upon by the agencies of nationalist, fascist, authoritarian and far-right governments.

Their courage, moral clarity and determination will continue to inspire us to continue our long march towards human emancipation and dignity.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob
London NW2

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One in four voters could still change their minds, says final poll