We've had two letters with opposing views sent to the Packet recently concerning Boris Johnson. We've posted them together to see what you think.

For weeks now the Skipper has been extremely critical of the Government and especially so on the Prime Minister in his weekly column. It’s not rocket science to work out where his allegiance lies.

I wonder how he would have coped with the issues that have plagued this Government since coming to power. At first dealing with a very uncompromising European Union to sort Brexit, which the PM eventually succeeded in completing.

Not perfect but nonetheless he succeeded where others failed. And all achieved despite an extremely biased Speaker who made life hell for Theresa May whilst making up the rules as he went along. Members of the PM’s own party doing all they could to prevent the wishes of the majority. Without exception, these rebels lost their seats at the following election.

This was then followed by the pandemic that brought with it unprecedented unknowns that had to be sorted. How did he do? Mistakes yes, but everyone had to learn as we went along as we tried desperately to keep a lid on it.

Now we have the war in Ukraine, which apart from all else has caused the cost of everything we purchase to rocket. Ask President Zelensky what he thinks of our Prime Minister...

No government in living memory has had such a horrible combination of problems to sort, one after the other, certainly not a newly elected prime minister. How, I wonder, would the Skipper have coped with this and how many of us can, with hand on heart, say that we did not break any rules during lockdown? The man has been put under enormous pressure during his stay at Number 10 and deserves some credit for getting at least some of it right.

Is the Skipper seriously suggesting that what is needed now is a leadership election? I don’t think so. Perhaps he could enlighten us all on his preferred option.

Colin Kemp

Falmouth

One can only assume that Colin Kemp (letters 8/6/22) is living in some sort of parallel universe from the extraordinary claims he makes in his letter concerning Boris Johnson.

He suggests that The Skipper would do no better; given the PM’s past behaviour in his private life and his numerous published insults towards minorities that is a questionable insult.

More to the point, The Skipper is not the Prime Minister, it is not his job to be the Prime, or First, or best person in our society. An Office of State that demands honesty, ability, knowledge and ability to lead from the front.

The PM falls short on every test, no wonder he is an object of derision in foreign press, making our country a laughing stock. Weirdly Colin criticises the EU for being “very uncompromising”. If you join a Club, you benefit from the advantages that membership gives.

If you cut and run like we did, it is naïve in the extreme to expect that club, in this case, 450m people in 27 countries on our doorstep, to compromise their needs and priorities for us.

Leaving aside the extraordinary patience the EU has shown our government with its domestic pyscho drama on this matter over 6 years now; endless changes in Brexit Ministers and policies.

And now we have the Irish Protocol; an inevitable recognition that there has to be a hard border down the Irish Sea. An International Agreement negotiated and signed by Johnson and almost immediately he is trying to renege on it.

Each time the EU puts forward a compromise Johnson rejects it.

Covid; 170,000++ dead, one of the highest death rates per capita and a big hit to the economy because Johnson was completely asleep at the wheel at the height of the pandemic. Missing the first 5 emergency COBRA meetings in a row and taking a two week holiday with Carrie early 2020.

Appalling misuse of public money giving contracts the Conservative Party friends - £37bn+!

Ukraine – what has he done he that is special that any other PM would have done? Nothing. All of this plus Partygate, proroguing Parliament and so much more is exactly why we needed a Leadership Election. And now we have the result.

Take away those MPs who are on the PM’s payroll as ministers, and you find that 148 Conservative MPs voted to kick Johnson out and only 41 backbenchers supported him! If so few Conservative backbenchers believe that he’s the best man for the job, why should the rest of us vote for him? Congratulations to Derek Thomas for doing the right thing.

Christopher Smith

Ponsharden

Falmouth