The Tories need sensible centrists, not those seeking power for power’s sake

Chris Patten has always provided measured and thoughtful opinions throughout his long and distinguished career. His is the voice of one-nation conservatism that recognises that all our citizens have the right to live safe, secure and fulfilling lives.

After years of shallow ideological division within the party now in opposition, his is the voice of reason that it should heed, not that of those who would seek power for power’s sake.

The nation needs the current government to be given time to effect the changes that are needed after years of irresponsible, short-term political gestures by a Conservative Party that lost connection with its core values.

But we also need an effective opposition that can call the government to account through rational debate; we need an end to political discourse that is founded upon playground name-calling and cheap gibes.

The Conservative Party ought to take Chris Patten’s six-point plan to heart, and arrive at a considered and responsible view of its purpose and future prospects. This will require focused and principled leadership. At the moment, following Boris Johnson’s culling of sane, centrist Tories, it’s hard to see from where that will come.

Graham Powell

Cirencester

The ramifications of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump are frightening.

Not only are his chances of becoming president again significantly increased, but certain factions of his supporters are interpreting his escape from death as divine intervention, because in their eyes he is the “chosen one”.

His adoring fans will now be 10 times more adoring. Joe Biden’s frailty has, no doubt unfairly, been accentuated by Trump’s pugnacious reaction to his brush with death. And Melanie Trump’s rare intervention panders once again the already heightened patriotic ego and fervour of the nation by saying their “gentle” country is in tatters.

How can a country awash with lethal firearms ever be called gentle? Every aspect of the assassination attempt is awful, from the reality of trying to kill someone, through to the dangers now faced by America, and consequently the rest of the world. Donald Trump has said he wants to unite the country. This would be a total reversal of his usual practice.

We can only hope his near-death experience will in fact mellow him. The world watches with deep concern.

Penny Little

Oxfordshire

One solution for the insufficient staffing levels that are preventing trains from running on Sundays would be to train and employ drivers and guards on contracts exclusively for weekend and bank holiday work.

There is an abundance of affection for our railways, evidenced by the number of people who volunteer to run heritage railways up and down the country.

And before arguments about lack of experience or training are raised, we are talking about approximately 30 per cent of potential working time throughout the year that needs covering – more than enough time to prove competence and gain experience by a parallel workforce.

Imagine three or four days in the city and one or two in the cab for a perfect work-life balance, and for all those who fantasised about becoming train drivers as a child. We need to harness that enthusiasm and get our railways back on track.

David Smith

Taunton

A reality without hospices is unthinkable, but their future is more uncertain now than ever. New research has found at least 20 per cent of UK hospices have already cut services in the last year or are planning to.

The small and wildly variable amount of state funding hospices receive has failed to keep pace with rising costs. Many are therefore running deficits which can only mean one thing – more cuts to essential care services, or even closures.

We’re already seeing redundancies at some major hospices, including those serving communities in more deprived parts of the UK, where charitable fundraising is harder. Without swift action, we fear more will follow.

The new Labour government has rightly made health and social care a priority, with a focus on getting the NHS back on its feet and providing care closer to home. Hospices are ideally placed to keep people out of hospital who do not need to be there but they need the right support.

We’re urging the public to write to your local MP, highlighting the critical financial situation of hospices and urging the new government to protect hospice services and their support to the NHS.

Toby Porter

CEO of Hospice UK

I offer a response to Ian Reid’s recent letter to The Independent.

Mr Reid makes an interesting use of the word “tribal”. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are nations, not tribes. Nations have an identity and the UK is a political union of nations – for the time being anyway.

In Wales, we have a devolved Senedd. We know who we are. I am sure the same is true in Scotland and Northern Ireland who are similarly placed. Representation in sport is a characteristic of nationhood.

At present there appears to be a casual equating of “English” with British. Rendering risible the suggestion, in the name of a possible victory in international competition and not of sport, that the Welsh, Northern Irish and Scots should effectively be absorbed by England.

England have alone and unaided won a World Cup. The Welsh, with a population a twentieth of England’s, have reached the semi-finals of the 2016 Euros competition and the quarter-finals of a World Cup. We have all earned our laurels, whatever their significance.

England do not need our help and we do not seek theirs. Participation in international sport is a right, not a “privilege”. 

I think Mr Reid should be encouraging the English team, despite a fresh disappointment, to endeavour to persevere. Undoubtedly it matters to the players and their supporters.

By Mr Reid’s criteria perhaps the EU should enter a side in the next Euros? Isn’t it a political association of states? The UK and a handful of others could take them on, unless of course we have rejoined by then...

David Nelmes

Newport