THE deeply-insulting words of Sir Kim Darroch, our man in Washington, applied essentially in regard to internal US politics, hardly reflect the diplomatist's job, which is said to be to lie for the good of his country, rather than to report gossip ("Inquiry begins over leaked emails about ‘inept’ Trump", The Herald, July 8).
President Trump, admittedly very controversial, at least seems to get things done according to his stated political agenda for the US. Perhaps that is why he is so hated by his political opponents.
We in the UK are not his rivals. He is Head of State of our best and most powerful international political friend.
Theresa May, by a country mile our worst PM, has not seen fit to recall Sir Kim and officially repudiate these views. Yet another UK own goal by Mrs May, this time worsening gratuitous insults.
Will she not fall silent during her last days as PM, to save her nation's people from damage by yet further unnecessary blunders?
Were there an "anti-Civil Honours" list, Mrs May would justly head it.
(Dr) Charles Wardrop,
Perth.
THE "dressing down" administered by Her Majesty’s Government to the Chinese over Hong Kong ("China and UK clash over Hong Kong protest reaction", The Herald, July 4), plus the constant baiting of the Russian bear, could have serious repercussions. There have already been unsourceable cyberattacks on the UK, and if the provocative language of Jeremy Hunt's Foreign Office continues, we might be in for more.
The term "dressing down" presumably originated from an FCO press release, as it was widely (and uncritically) used by large sections of the media, though I also came across "carpeting". Only last February we had Gavin Williamson's "send a gunboat" speech which prompted the Chinese to cancel trade talks with the UK.
Mr Hunt and Co. really are asking for it, and if we spend much of the coming winter freezing in the dark, we'll probably only have them to blame.
George Morton,
Stuttgart,
Germany.
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