A Conservative general election majority dangles like a bauble on the Number 10 Christmas Tree

After Theresa May's midweek Article 50 coup and the Conservative's win in the Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election, Labour has barely 24 months to save itself to become a credible political force again. Under Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott’s Marxist junta, Labour is becoming a footnote, little more than an irrelevant sideshow, not a serious contender to form the next government.

On the basis of the Sleaford result – her first real test as Prime Minister – May should not sack Boris Johnson but promote him to her general election mascot on a war footing. May has already proved herself more than capable of winning a majority at a snap general election on her own merits. With her St Bernard Boris on board, she may gamble on ascending to Alpine peaks at the next general election.

To fall out with Boris at this stage would leave him languishing on the back benches as a stalking horse, Heseltine-style, poisoning the well, always ready to pounce and make his bid for No 10. Just as the glittering prize of a May majority dangles like a bauble on the No 10 Christmas Tree, sending Boris down would see it smashed on the pavement, with any hope of a the first Tory landslide for decades dashed for good.

May has the kugels to win big, but only with Boris unleashed, not shut up in the kennel with a muzzle.

Anthony Rodriguez

Middlesex

In response to your article (Man arrested ‘for threatening woman’ who led Brexit legal challenge, 7 December), how shameful that in the UK today anyone who speaks out for what they believe in is subjected to abuse and death threats, and even more shameful that the threats are based on gender and race.

Is this what our country has become now – a place where the only views that count are those of bigoted white males? On the other hand, how wonderful that the person making a stand for democracy in our multicultural country is neither white nor male.

I am deeply grateful to Gina Miller for attempting to ensure that the terms of Brexit are properly scrutinised by our elected representatives. For most of us, this is the most momentous political event of our lifetimes, so thank goodness someone is making sure it is given the most careful possible consideration.

Lynda Newbery

Bristol

Robert Fisk is right to remind us of the unspeakable horror of the Warsaw Rising in 1944. But not everyone stood aside. As he mentions, the Royal Air Force did try, and in particular the South African Air Force made 12-hour flights from Italy to drop supplies – weapons, food and medical equipment. Sixty-nine South Africans were killed and 25 SAAF Liberators were shot down. For every ton of supplies dropped into Warsaw, one bomber was lost. It was perhaps the South African Air Force’s costliest single campaign.

Euan Nisbet

London

This week the chief of MI6 gave a rare briefing to journalists on the threat caused by cyberattacks and defended the new Investigatory Powers Act or “snooper’s charter”.

Government and businesses face a huge challenge to overcome consumer fears around privacy being eroded by technology. Consumer trust is low and our research shows that two-thirds do not trust the Government with their personal data. Technology companies, including social media groups, are not far behind.

In addition our research confirms the huge incidence of cybercrime: almost 1 in 5 UK consumers told us they had been the victim of fraud or hacking online, which supports the ONS figures that show cybercrime is almost as common as all other crime combined in the UK.

It’s clear that consumers understand sharing personal information is a necessary part of modern life, but the priority now must be to allay their anxieties about privacy, or risk alienating those who should draw the greatest benefit from all this digital innovation.

Chris McMillan, partner, Oliver Wyman Digital

London

The wishes of the majority are not always right. Indeed they are often terribly wrong.

In 1940 when France capitulated, it was only a united effort by Churchill and Atlee that overturned a motion in parliament to seek a settlement with Germany – by just two votes! Had this decision been put to the people of Britain, then a majority (estimated at 72 per cent) would have voted for such a settlement and to leave Europe to its fascist fate.

There are times when the majority of people make terrible decisions – especially when incited by fear, hate and anger. On these occasions it is the duty of the minority to fight on for what they know to be right. To merely submit to the mass would be a dereliction of our duty to society.

I will, until my dying day, fight for the retention of unity in Europe.

The EU is an imperfect but all embracing unity that was created by great statesmen and stateswomen over sixty five years. We the (48.5 per cent) minority have a duty to fight on to retain that unity.

Martin Deighton

Woodbridge