Boris Johnson’s jovial mask has served the hard right very well

The Independent is indeed right to warn us about who might succeed Boris Johnson if he does go (‘Be careful what you wish for – Boris Johnson’s successor could be a whole lot worse’, Editorial, 9 November). But at least then we will see the new Conservative Party, full of ex-Ukip members, for what it really is. The phoney mask of a jovial, boosterish, optimistic man of the people, out and about shaking everyone’s hand and claiming to want to “level up” has served the extreme right very well as they have pursued their policies behind this front.

If Johnson goes, however, the party will be exposed and at least we will know where we stand.

Adrian Cosker

Herts

North Shropshire electors have been let down not only by Owen Paterson but also by the local Conservative association, which initially supported him when the scandal broke and then, as reported by Colin Drury (Friday), chose a candidate living miles away in Birmingham without an understanding of the constituency. They have also had to endure a prime minister who has misled the nation time and time again.

Thursday’s by-election is an opportunity for them to get their own back by voting for the Lib Dem candidate who, according to the bookies, is the clear favourite to deliver an electoral upset. Let’s hope they take it.

Roger Hinds

Surrey

Nicola Sturgeon claims the alleged Downing Street Christmas party means Scotland should be independent. What? Boris Johnson doesn’t float my boat either but you don’t break up a 300-year-old political, financial, cultural and social union for the sake of a couple of inappropriate glasses of fizz and a Christmas cracker.

Martin Redfern

Melrose

Sam Boote reminds us (‘Times Change’, Letters, 9 December) that in 1963, having lied to parliament, John Profumo resigned. Worth remembering, equally importantly, is that he spent the rest of his life working selflessly for charities, including at times as a cleaner, in repayment of what he believed was his debt to society. I’m not confident that, should Boris Johnson resign for the same offence, he will follow in Profumo’s footsteps.

Roger Thomas

East Lothian

With regards to our present government’s passing acquaintance with the truth… I was taught not to tell fibs because fibs become lies, and lies always come back to bite you as you lose track of how many you have told and the cracks in your story open wide.

Christmas parties, decoration funds, Afghan evacuation failures – maybe our leaders need to remember that the truth will out.

John Sinclair

Pocklington

James Moore (‘Towns that treat disabled people like trash shouldn’t be honoured with city status’, Voices, 10 December) makes an impassioned point about the entry guidelines for the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours competition, which will bestow city status on one or more localities in the UK next year. He points to an arguable omission in the application guidelines, in that accessibility is not one of the criteria specifically referenced. It’s a more than fair challenge. That said, just because information on accessibility wasn’t explicitly asked for, it doesn’t mean that a candidate could not choose to talk about it in their application.

I won’t pretend that Doncaster, like most places in Britain, has perfect credentials when it comes to accessibility. There will always be more to do. That said, Doncaster’s city status bid did not shy away from discussing the accessibility agenda, and showcasing areas of progression. For example, Doncaster has several Changing Places specialist toilets, with more planned, designed for people with complex disabilities, their families and carers. It has a variety of disability sports clubs and initiatives, including being a home to the Riding for the Disabled charity, winner of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Then, of course, there is local lad Ben Parkinson MBE, the double leg amputee who was severely brain injured from the Afghanistan war, who nevertheless still carried the Olympic flame through Doncaster in 2012, and who has been recognised and celebrated with freedom of the borough. All of these points are acknowledged and referenced in Doncaster’s bid.

As I say, there will always be more to do in every city of the UK to improve accessibility, Doncaster included. The borough has, however, not ignored the agenda. Doncaster has established firm foundations, and recognised accessibility as an essential point to address in its city status application, despite not being asked to do so by the entry guidelines.

I hope this provides at least a modicum of reassurance for Mr Moore, and others like him who may similarly champion the importance of accessibility in both our current and future cities.

Jim Carley

Project director, Doncaster city status bid