War is raging in Europe – why are William and Kate on a holiday tour?

While war rages in a European country, I find it hard to understand how a future king and queen of England can leave for a “royal holiday tour” in the Caribbean like celebrities.

While William and Kate go scuba diving, people are dying in Ukraine. Even though the UK is not involved in the conflict at present, it seems like bad judgement and responsibility on their part to indulge in leisure pursuits in the sunshine instead of remaining at home to monitor events.

Another reason why the monarchy is in its last throes.

Peter Fieldman

Madrid

The contents of the government’s energy security strategy remain speculative, but one thing is for certain. It will have major implications for how the UK generates, stores, and consumes energy.

Make no mistake, the UK is in desperate need of a homegrown clean-energy system that simultaneously breaks our dependence on volatile international markets and lessens the financial burden on UK households.

This, however, cannot be achieved through imposition. We welcome the business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng’s comments about loosening planning permission, which in truth, was needed years ago and would have helped to save consumers from the sky-high prices they are seeing today.

And while the push back from cabinet now is understandable, it is beholden upon ministers and MPs alike to inform and explain the rationale to their constituents, and to make the connection in the hearts and minds of communities. Early public engagement is absolutely fundamental and goes hand in hand with support.

It is time for the UK to be braver and bolder. To cast the net wider and take a holistic view of the whole energy network. To reinvent the whole energy system. I hope these plans move ahead swiftly so we can begin building the infrastructure that will power the UK for years to come.

Phil Thompson

CEO, Balance Power

I read Jon Stone’s article (Borders Bill will make UK most ‘anti-refugee’ country, 23 March) with dismay but no little surprise. The home secretary Priti Patel and her department are, I believe, behind the curve of public opinion and this will come back to haunt them.

The national outpouring of support for Ukrainian refugees has been a flashing signal to the government that the public want a fair and transparent way of dealing humanely with displaced men, women and children.

It is shameful that the reasonable House of Lords amendments did not see the charitable light of day and it is draconian business as usual.

Desperate people fleeing heinous regimes should not be penalised or criminalised by harsh strictures. I agree with the charities and Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, that Britain is indeed better than this, but you wouldn’t know it from this government in their negation of the fundamental necessity to align oneself with desperate people and walk in their shoes for a change.

Judith A Daniels

Great Yarmouth

Since the lifting of all restrictions, the number of reported Covid cases has been steadily rising. Under the circumstances, it is hardly surprising.

Whilst currently the number of deaths has not risen dramatically, that could all be about to change. Meanwhile, of course, dying from the virus is one thing, but many of those who are infected suffer from long Covid afterwards which can be incredibly debilitating for many months – if not years.

That it was unwise of the government to scrap all the restrictions is a very contentious point. Certainly, many scientific experts were – understandably – extremely dubious about doing so.

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For Boris Johnson, given the choice of not scrapping restrictions and having to face a no confidence vote in Parliament or scrapping them and remaining prime minister it was a no-brainer.

Suddenly, easing the continuing pressure on the NHS is not important anymore, despite it being a major priority from the beginning of the pandemic and the main reason behind the lockdowns. Those likely to unnecessarily suffer from long Covid are likewise irrelevant from his perspective just as long as he, Boris Johnson, keeps his job.

Linda Evans

London

Sean O’Grady succinctly explains why Britain needs a Dissolution and Calling Bill in order to aid a fairer voting structure.

This current Tory party is, by anyone’s (other than their) standards, morally corrupt. They have paid lip service to the needs and desires of the British people while using various nefarious methods to achieve their aims.

I have, when younger, voiced the opinion that the Lords needs to be at least reorganised, if not scrapped, but now I feel that they are the last bastion of sanity.

If the present government is not corralled by law, morality, empathy or common sense, then what hope is there for Britain in the future.

Keith Poole

Basingstoke