Spectator letters: In defence of women ministers, Handel and lefty sex

Give the women a chance

Sir: Melissa Kite’s article about the reshuffle seems downright unfair (‘A misogynistic reshuffle’, 19 July). Whatever David Cameron’s motives may be, the women he has promoted to cabinet and other posts in his government are presumably intelligent and hardworking and have certainly demonstrated great stamina. This is true of anyone who reaches these levels in politics. They are no doubt excited to be facing extremely tough challenges, but they must also be quite nervous. Instead of giving them congratulations and encouragement, the best Ms Kite can offer is a prediction that none of them will be very successful.
Colin Angwin
London W14

Media circus

Sir: The Inquisition flames on your front cover of 12 July burn savagely but irresponsibly. For instance: those of us who have had the privilege of knowing Leon Brittan since university see him as gentle, civilised and an intellectual giant. The idea of him committing the crime of which he has been accused is absurd and unthinkable.

It raises the question of who among police and prosecutors is behind this media circus. Who is allowing the leaking of such stories, apparently without disciplinary sanction? It will be no surprise if decent and dutiful people avoid public life in future: we will all be the poorer.
Sir Humphry Wakefield
Chillingham Castle, Northumberland

The tragedy of Wales

Sir: As I read Christopher Gage’s article on the catastrophic misgovernment of Wales since devolution (‘The betrayal of Wales’, 12 July), I felt great sadness for what the people in Wales have had to endure under the Welsh Assembly. The old guard have maintained their stranglehold on Welsh politics, and we have to put up with ex-council clerical assistants pretending to know about business and wrecking any attempt to create jobs.