Letters: why the Tories need to lose

Back to blue

Sir: What a pity your leading article (‘The valley of death’, 25 May) did not reach Downing Street in time. It might have dissuaded the Prime Minister from ruining a good suit, rushing off to Belfast to associate himself with Titanic and allowing himself to be photographed on an aeroplane under a sign proclaiming ‘Exit’.

The coming Labour landslide does, however, present an opportunity for the Conservatives, if they are willing to use the wilderness years wisely. The years in opposition before 1979 enabled Margaret Thatcher to devise and refine a programme of radical right-wing policies. If a new leader can be found of her iron determination and ideological clarity, a similar process could result in a party that has rediscovered its core values and is again capable of winning four consecutive elections.

Francis Bown

London E3

Spoilt for choice

Sir: In his review of Geoffrey Wheatcroft’s new book about the Tory party (Books, 25 May), Philip Hensher refers to ‘the disastrous revision of the leadership election procedure to hand the final choice to a small and unrepresentative party membership’.

Quite so, and there is an important constitutional point here which applies to all political parties. Namely, that MPs aren’t delegates – they are representatives for all their constituents. Handing the choice of leader to party members or Conference or trade unions or a national executive is simply an updated ‘Bennite’ solution that treats MPs as lobby fodder, to do as they are told. This is unacceptable and dangerous.

Party leaders in parliament must have the support of their MPs. Whatever you think of him, Rishi Sunak has this. Liz Truss didn’t, and look what happened there.

Give thanks

Sir: I was heartened to read about Douglas Murray’s decision to talk to students at Columbia University (of all places) about ‘four unpopular virtues’ – respect for tradition and wisdom, courageousness, being curious and, particularly, being grateful (‘The message Columbia’s students need to hear’, 25 May).