Letters: Be afraid, be very afraid, of this new Cabinet

But even more worrying are two aspects of Mr Johnson’s speech on arrival at 10 Downing Street. First, that he is already lining up for blame anyone who does not share his views or is unwilling to come along on the journey he proposes to take us on. Those of us who hold genuine concerns, our own legitimate disagreements and certainly anyone who gives voice to our criticism, will be blamed as “the doubters, the doomsters and the gloomsters”. Who knows what is next? Fifth columnists?

Secondly, we will not be the only targets of Mr Johnson’s blame claims. The EU itself is being lined up. He delineated his position with regard to the backstop in just one phrase – “we refuse under any circumstances to have such checks and yet without that anti-democratic backstop”. And if the Europeans refuse to go along with this, “we are forced to come out with no deal”. Thus, on the one hand the European Union is presented with a diktat, and on the other hand will be responsible because they would not ‘obey” his diktat. My way or the highway, Michel Barnier.

There will certainly be little sign of opposition in Cabinet as such as the Foreign Office (Dominic Raab), Treasury (Sajid Javid), Education (Gavin Williamson), Business (Andrea Leadsom), Commons Leader (Jacob Rees-Mogg), Duchy of Lancaster (Michael Gove), and our own new Secretary of State (Alister Jack), have all been either enthusiastic Leavers all along, or made clear they would now countenance leaving the EU without a deal. Johnson’s might have been the “the bloodiest cull of a Cabinet in modern political history”, but it has allowed him to surround himself with minions who will do his bidding.

A Prime Minister lining up the targets for blame when he fails, before he even goes through the door of No 10 supported by the uncritically like-minded. All in the first few hours. What could go wrong?

Alasdair Galloway, Dumbarton.

WHEN Winston Churchill became Prime Minister, at an even more desperate time for our country, he famously said: "Power, for the sake of lording it over fellow creatures or adding to personal pomp is rightly deemed base, but power in a national crisis, when a man believes he knows what orders should be given, is a blessing." So far, Boris Johnson behaves as if he is seeking power, specifically the top job, for its own sake.

We have yet to see if he really knows what orders to give, as distinct from blind belief in his own ability. More worryingly, Churchill had the honesty to face the nation with the truth, the need for blood, toil, tears and sweat; instead our new Prime Minister offers a pain-free Brexit, jam today and still more jam tomorrow.

Peter MD Gray, Aberdeen AB15.

MANY years ago, when Boris Johnson was a cub reporter for an English broadsheet, he wrote an article concerning an archaeological find on the south bank of the River Thames of a house built in the mid-1320s for Edward II, wherein he was to enjoy a life "of wine and song" with his favourite, Piers Gaveston. Of course, said favourite (aka the Earl of Cornwall) had got his head cut off in 1312. Now, Edward may have been a strange man; but I sincerely doubt he was that strange.

The moral of this tale is, of course, that Mr Johnson does not "do detail".

Hence what happens now depends largely upon the quality of his advisors.

Brian D Finch, Glasgow G20.

FEW Prime Ministers, if any, can have entered 10 Downing Street with such a mendacious, arrogant, libidinous past. What on earth has Great Britain come to? Heartily endorsed by President Donald Trump as Britain’s Trump, his position is secure. But requesting America for assistance to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz received the answer that we should look after our own ships and we have now formally requested Europe for a European-led mission to protect Gulf shipping.

If Mr Johnson manages to fulfil his ambition to drag us out of the EU on October 31 then we will not be, as he has said, a “slumbering giant” but rather an insignificant, small island stranded in the Atlantic convenient to the United States as a remote aircraft carrier – USS Great Britain. We now have trade agreements with Chile, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Antigua, Bahamas, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and sundry others but after three years there are still more than 150 countries to go and that includes the really important ones.

What an exciting prospect.

Nigel Dewar Gibb, Glasgow G2.

I FIND an unexpected spring in my stride. I whistle a happy tune, crying out What-Ho! and Huzzah! as I look forward to the veritable feast anticipated on Halloween. Shrink-wrapped kippers; chlorine-washed chicken; and best of all, nourishing full fibre broadband, all washed down with a sugary milk-shake. What's not to like?

Must dust down that catchy tune that was on everyone's lips in 1997. How did it go: "Things can only get better". Aye, right – far right, too.

Graeme Orr, Neilston.

WOULD that the Tory rump had someone of the calibre of Bertie Wooster to turn to (Letters, July 20). Not only is he of irreproachable moral probity and possessed of a command of English as impressive as his acuity of observations, but he has the sense and humility to delegate the resolution of apparently insoluble problems to someone who, without seeking either adulation or material advantage, can be relied upon to “endeavour to give satisfaction”.

A better comparison to Boris Johnson would be the generally odious Spode – or perhaps best of all – the pathologically self-centred Lord Dunstable.

Robin Dow, Rothesay.