Boris Johnson – what took them so long?

Political chaos in the UK

Sir, – The pious declarations of devotion to principle uttered by Sajid Javid and others ring hollow. If there was such a strong standard of ethics within the current Tory front bench and indeed the party at large, the events which have unfolded over the last few days would have happened months ago, if not longer.

Given the extent to which all of his likely successors have been tainted by association with him, it would be naive to expect a significant change at least in terms of policy, if not personal behaviour, when his successor is chosen. Whether it is breaking international law, dispatching asylum seekers to Rwanda or anything else, Boris Johnson was not solely responsible. – Yours, etc,

NICKY DUNNE,

Ranelagh,

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Dublin 6.

Sir, – He did the state some disservice; they know’t. No more of that! –Yours, etc,

AIDAN RODDY,

Cabinteely,

Dublin 18.

Sir, – With the resignation of Boris Johnson after the refusal of his colleagues to back him due to his dishonesty and general inability to keep his promises, can I just point out how it is perhaps a good thing that UK-Irish relations are at a seemingly low point, lest we go in for that sort of thing and have our politicians have to suffer any consequences for doing a bad job. – Yours, etc,

GARETH SOYE,

Sandyford,

Dublin 16.

Sir, – Boris Johnson went from having an “oven ready” Brexit deal to being roasted himself in less than three years. The carving up of the UK will surely follow. – Yours, etc,

JOE DUNNE,

Shanakiel,

Cork.

Sir, – BoGo! – Yours, etc,

ANTHONY TWOMEY,

Cork.

Sir, – It is impossible not to be cynical about the succession of Tory ministers claiming that they can no longer square their personal “integrity” with serving under Boris Johnson.

What took them so long? Was Mr Johnson’s long history of personal mendacity, his many Brexit-related lies, illegally proroguing parliament, Wallpapergate, Partygate, breaking international law and a fixed-notice police fine for breaking his own Covid regulations not enough of a clue as to who the British prime minister really was before the Pincher debacle finally brought him down? – Yours, etc,

JOE McCARTHY,

Arbour Hill,

Dublin 7.

Sir, – There is little doubt that the outgoing British prime minister and cabinet have had a casual relationship with facts, truthfulness and integrity. The resignation of Boris Johnson may not affect change in this regard.

The willingness of the outgoing UK cabinet to back Mr Johnson in his untruthfulness over the last two years doesn’t suggest that British cabinet ministers will change their values overnight by suddenly espousing honesty and truthfulness.

I fear that little will change regardless of who replaces Mr Johnson. – Yours, etc,

PAVEL MARIANSKI,

Dungarvan,

Co Waterford.

Sir, – In what Keir Starmer referred to as “the charge of the lightweight brigade”, scores of Conservative MPs resigned from government office. However, Michael Gove had to be sacked. It says a lot.

So who should be the next UK prime minister? – Yours, etc,

FABIAN McGRATH,

Dublin 8.

Sir, – I read with interest Newton Emerson’s reflection on the defenestration of Boris Johnson and the continuing UK hostility to the NI protocol (Opinion & Analysis, July 7th). It may be in the next British prime minister’s best interests to be more conciliatory toward the EU, resulting in a rise in sterling and a subsequent lowering of the obscene cost of living. - Yours, etc,

ENDA CULLEN

Armagh.

Sir, – The hunter became the hunted. The worm turned. The bell tolled. Adieu. – Yours, etc,

DOROTHY BARRY,

Mallow,

Co Cork.

Sir, – I suggest that Boris Johnson should be, on retirement, be appointed by Queen Elizabeth to the new honorary role of Lord High Keeper of All the Protocols.

He should be able to land running in that position. – Yours, etc,

PADDY GOGARTY,

Portmarnock,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – Regarding Boris Johnson’s resignation as British prime minister, why should anybody be surprised by his refusal to follow proper protocol? When it comes to discarding protocols, even legally binding ones, Mr Johnson has form. – Yours, etc,

PAUL DELANEY,

Dalkey,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – “Infamy, infamy, they had it in for me!” – Yours, etc,

OLIVER McGRANE,

Rathfarnham,

Dublin 16.

Sir, – The present UK prime minister seems so like the recent US president. The pathological lying, the chaotic messaging, the exodus of officials by resignation or firing; the unashamed ego run amok, which unchecked, threatens not only the political stability of the UK but of this island as well.

I, for one, appreciate the asperity of your Martyn Turner’s lampooning of Boris as a clown but like Mr Trump, Boris Johnson is not a joke but a genuine danger. – Yours, etc,

BRIAN FALTER,

Ballyshannon,

Co Donegal.

Sir, – Has Boris Johnson got things back to front again?

Surely he is ideally suited to lead the British Conservative Party, with all of the chaos and ineptitude that that involves.

It is just that he is totally unfit to be prime minister of the United Kingdom. – Yours, etc,

DENIS MURPHY,

Clonskeagh,

Dublin 14.

Sir, – You can lie to some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can lie to the Conservative Party only as long as you can help it get elected. – Yours, etc,

SEÁN BAKER,

Greystones,

Co Wicklow.