The real perfect storm is not Eunice but Boris Johnson

Like many in the UK, I am stranded away from home because of weather disruption to our crumbling rail infrastructure.

Few but the most deluded now deny that Brexit is a catastrophe. This social, economic and diplomatic calamity was served up by the same walking time-bomb that brought us Partygate, the early mishandling of the pandemic and all the associated financial waste, plus the proroguing of parliament and the complete degradation of the office of the prime minister. Add to this Boris Johnson’s clowning, lying, smirking and trivial demeanour and we see why he has devastated the UK’s already diminishing international standing.

When Storm Boris passes we will be clearing up for decades.

Amanda Baker

Edinburgh

The Independent is to be congratulated for giving a studied view of the Russia crisis through the articles of Mary Dejevsky and now Ronald Suny.

Diplomacy through sloganising is never going to solve this problem, but thoughtful analysis might. Our politicians would do well to remember the words of Henry Kissinger when writing about the Ukrainian crisis in 2014: “For the west, the demonisation of Vladimir Putin is not a policy; it is an alibi for the absence of one.”

Leo Thomas

Manchester

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Brexit opportunities minister Jacob Rees-Mogg is in denial over the damage done by Brexit to our trade. He is blaming Covid for the apparent poor trade figures. However, when the pandemic is over we will see whether this particular excuse still holds water.

As a Remainer, I admit there may well have been good reasons for leaving the EU but none of the reasons given by the Leave campaign are turning out to be true. The much-vaunted deal with the USA has turned out to be an illusion and the best approach our new minister has to fulfil his new role is to ask the people if they have any ideas. I can’t wait for a return to normality so that we can do a proper audit of the alleged Brexit benefits. It should be just in time for the general election.

C C Elshaw

Hants

Early Friday morning I thought to myself: are these dire weather warnings a conspiracy between the scientists at the Met Office, the mainstream media and our government to reassert control over the populace by keeping us at home for some unknown invidious purpose? It certainly seems a big coincidence that this happens just as Covid restrictions are at their lowest ebb. Therefore, I decided to take back control and go forth into the great outdoors to tell anyone that would listen about the fake news. Then again after 30 seconds of leaving my front door, I decided it is in fact clearly the worst storm since 1987!

Robert Boston

Kent

In the early stages of the pandemic, Boris Johnson covered himself against any criticism by telling us he was following the science. Gradually, however, he has been moving more towards following the wishes of his more extreme backers in parliament. His soon to be published living with Covid strategy demonstrates that he is now no longer following the views held by the majority of scientists and health professionals. Who will he now blame when things go belly up?

G Forward

Stirling