I’m a former submariner and, yes, the BBC’s Vigil is thrilling but it’s full of fishy facts

The new Sunday night BBC serial set on board HMS Vigil, a royal navy Trident missile-carrying submarine on deterrent patrol, is deservedly getting good credits for its unusual setting and Line of Duty plot. As a former submariner myself, there are some cringeworthy, unrealistic onboard aspects featured in Vigil – I just wish we had had as much working space as the crew appears to have – but it is a drama, not a documentary.

However, there are significant fault lines in the overall scenario. Firstly, the UK Trident missile system, in the absence of any threats, has been at several days notice to fire – not 15 minutes – since the 1990s. Secondly, whether in UK territorial waters or not, the “on patrol” submarine will neither send signals nor surface for any reason whatsoever unless and until relieved by another submarine. Notwithstanding which, I am sure I will very much enjoy the twists and turns of the forthcoming plot.

Robert Forsyth

Deddington, Oxfordshire

If there is one sobering observation that has emerged from the recent events in Afghanistan it is that a close, cooperative and communicative relationship with Nato has been replaced by a policy of unilateral American decision-making.

This process of unilateralism was initiated by Trump, but Biden has followed the same direction of travel. It has not, however, been found to be of any advantage to American or Nato interests.

Hopefully, the relationship between America and Nato will be reconfigured to one of closer cooperation as it would maximise the benefits to all parties concerned.

Margie Elgar-Bond

Scotland

Exactly how much longer is this country going to have to put up with this totally incompetent government?

Virtually every cabinet minister is completely inept. Matt Hancock was a disgrace. Gavin Williamson, Dominic Raab, Ben Wallace, George Eustice, Priti Patel, Kwasi Kwarteng, Grant Shapps… all of them unfit for purpose.

Boris Johnson is utterly hopeless. Brexit is a shambolic mess.

It’s about time that senior Conservatives pulled the plug on this fiasco once and for all and tabled a no confidence vote in the PM and his third rate gang of amateurish clowns, and the sooner the better.

With regards to who should replace Johnson. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is being touted as a possibility, but what does a man whose family is estimated to be worth millions know about the real world and the financial hardship faced by vast numbers of the British public? Nothing at all.

Moreover, he’s a man who plans to scrap the current £20 top-up in universal credit for the poorest families, rather than increase taxes for those who can easily afford the rise in order to facilitate financing it. Something which by any standards is absolutely despicable.

Linda Evans

London

I read Ashley Cowburn’s article that there will likely be a Commons vote on cutting universal credit. This punitive measure will have a dire impact on so many men, women and children.

This own goal by the government has a great deal of disapprobation from the Northern Research Group that represents the “red wall” seats, which will no doubt be disastrously affected. This is surely counter to the government’s meretricious but now misleading mantra of “levelling up”.

It is all well and good that Boris Johnson spouts on about people using their own efforts to obtain better, well-paid jobs. Yes, there is credence in this fiscal philosophy, but you don’t extricate the rug from under them while they are trying to achieve this utopian dream. I wholeheartedly agree that this is a very beneficial legacy from this dire pandemic and should not be scrapped on the mendacious altar of a callous fiscal policy.

Judith A Daniels

Great Yarmouth, Norfolk