We are living through a period of hopeless political leaders

I read with interest John Rentoul’s Q&A regarding Dominic Cummings’s appearance before the Select Committee. He stated that Cummings wanted a dictatorship as opposed to Boris Johnson’s chaos. He also made it sound as if these were the only two options. Actually, what we have is a scarcity of good leadership.

Both Johnson and his predecessor Theresa May have failed as leaders, even though they have distinctly different styles. Both leaders, however, appear to have made the same miscalculation. They both, at a crucial moment, appear to have confused leading their party with leading their country. The two are not the same. Needless to say, in a time of crisis, the latter should take precedence over the former.

I wonder if we have reached a point where there are so few examples of good leadership, we have forgotten what it looks like. If leadership is now reduced to a choice between dictatorship or democratic chaos, then we can’t expect anything but bad results.

Clare Topic

Bordon

As a former educational researcher, I look for the role of “play” within mathematics education and I am disappointed to see the government is focused purely on providing more tuition. It would be better for pupils to have more academic activities that are playful, as this will also simultaneously improve their mental and physical health. Play-oriented activities require far more investment than tuition but are more effective in improving knowledge and understanding. Sport in schools has always been taught in a playful manner, which is why the teaching is so successful.

Kartar Uppal

Sutton Coldfield

You have to wonder: if Serco was offering school children’s education recovery services, could the £15bn be easily found?

Hedley Baldwin

Address supplied

The resignation of Sir Kevan Collins in protest of the scaled-down school recovery plan demonstrates how the government’s announcement fell woefully short of meeting the needs of all children. More worryingly, the government plans to do nothing to address the challenges facing disabled children, young people and families whose needs remain unmet.

Disruption to their education, care and support has had a massive impact on them and their families, and has hampered their educational and social development. Many have regressed in basic learning and life skills, and their mental wellbeing has suffered as a result. Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have been hit especially hard as they rely on support services outside school, such as speech and language therapy, and many of these have been suspended since the pandemic.

But once again, disabled children have been ignored. We urgently need a clear recovery plan for disabled children and their families, along with appropriate funding and resources, to support them to catch up on lost learning and receive the right care to meet their needs. No child should miss out on access to quality education.

Richard Kramer, chief executive of Sense, a UK charity which helps living with complex disabilities

I thought it wise to mention one more thing about the ongoing debate around Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin, Brexit and overseas workers (low paid). Although I fully accept that the primary argument to leave the EU from the pub chain owner was not a rejection of foreigners, his actions along with others helped to create a xenophobic unwelcoming country.

This then leads me onto a rather obvious question that Tim Martin clearly did not consider: why would hospitality staff choose to work here rather than making their lives easier by staying in the 27 countries of the European Union?

Robert Boston

Kingshill

Undoubtedly the press, more akin to a braying horde, want to see Naomi Osaka buckle under their blood-thirsty questioning. The Grand Slam authorities have a responsibility and a duty of care which has been exercised for Covid but neglected for mental health problems. There are solutions. How about a one to one session between Osaka and a press representative, which is recorded and made available to all of the press? I guess there are legitimate questions that fans would like answered. I just want to see her play tennis.

Robert Murray

Nottingham