Sir, – Joe McCarthy (Letters, February 18th) should look up the full working title of the prime minister of the UK before commenting on his taking control of the chancellor's office.
His title includes “the first lord of the treasury” and “minister for the civil service”.
So indeed he is taking back control of the powers that are vested in him and that are commensurate with the office.
Part of his policy with Brexit was to take back control, and where better to start than at home. – Yours, etc,
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JOHN BERGIN,
Oxton,
Wirral, UK.
Sir, – Barely nine weeks into the five-year premiership of Boris Johnson and already Joe McCarthy is warning that “the first dark seeds of a contagious narrative of distrust within the British government that will lead to their ultimate downfall” may have been sown. In fact, by consolidating his hold over the UK treasury, Mr Johnson is hoping to avoid the divisive splits with the prime minister’s office that have dogged previous occupants. Who can forget the Blair/Brown years of infighting and distrust? More importantly it allows him full control over delivering the huge spending commitments that earned him his 80-seat majority and large support in traditional Labour working-class areas of the north of England and Wales. – Yours,etc,
KEN ANDREW,
Cobh,
Co Cork.