BORIS Johnson may look like a cross between a problem child at a nursery and a half-baked scarecrow who never thought to ask the Wizard for a brain, but the actions of this conceited ignoramus have left Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe facing a further five years in an Iranian prison on fabricated charges of espionage.

Johnson styles himself as the enfant terrible of the Conservative Party. His famed outbursts, however, have nothing to do with unorthodoxy or “plain speaking.”

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson epitomises the class arrogance and social privilege of Britain’s upper-middle class. This is a man whose experience with the “lower classes” extends only to giving orders.

When Mayor of London, Johnson told a Labour member of the Assembly to “get stuffed” when he was presented with evidence that his closures of fire stations would cost lives.

His Tory colleague Michael Gove was more interested in saving Johnson’s career than clarifying that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was on holiday in Iran (Gove under fire for new blunder over mother in prison in Iran, The National, November 13). This shows that utter arrogance and contempt this preposterous duo hold for the voters.

It should be remembered it was Gove who knifed Johnson in the last Tory leadership contest.

Gove clearly knows a leadership election is coming and wants to position himself favourably with Johnson. It shows the Tory mind-set that pursuit of power trumps morality every time.
Alan Hinnrichs
Dundee

MRS May perhaps cannot sack Boris Johnson but the population can. And forget the DUP, there is a group of Tory MPs who hold more power and that is Ruth Davidson’s baker’s dozen. At the General Election we found out what they were against. We have yet to find out what they are for.

I am fairly sure, though, that they promised to represent their constituents and to stand up for the whole of the UK.

I am also fairly sure that they did not secure the votes of 13 Scottish constituencies on a promise to protect Boris Johnson’s ambitions against all odds.

And let us be clear, he is not a buffoon. He is an opportunistic, self-centred blackguard who will use any chance to further his personal interests.

The young, new members of the Tory Party cannot believe that their best career chances rest with him. And the country’s best interests cannot be left in the hands of someone who makes us a laughing stock with his stupid talk jeopardising British citizens abroad. It is sickening.

So come on, Ruth, get rid of him – now! And don’t let him resign to make a comeback. Make it permanent!
Robert Johnston
Airdrie

IT may strike some people as ironic that, in writing this letter, I am doing the very thing that I am condemning: highlighting disagreements between politicians and raising controversial political issues that most people are unaware of or at least unfazed by.

However, as an SNP member and former education spokesperson for the party on Grampian/Aberdeenshire Council for more than 15 years, I feel it is necessary to make the point, if only to prevent party support going into a rapid decline.

No member of any party can be happy when there are fundamental disagreements within its ranks. That said, only the most politically naive would believe that all of us sing off exactly the same hymn-sheet all the time. Up till now the SNP have been better than any of the major political parties at presenting a united front – certainly as far as the UK and Scottish Parliaments are concerned.

That is why I am so disappointed by Nicola Sturgeon’s comments on Alex Salmond’s forthcoming programme on RT. She is, of course, entitled to her opinions, and indeed it is what is implied rather than what is stated that she may have cause to regret later.

Was there really any need to draw the public’s attention to the fact that she and Alex disagree over the Russian question – and possibly much more besides? Was it wise of her to make her hostility towards Russia so obvious? There are certainly mixed views on this, both within and outwith the party. But it is not – nor should it be – something that should exercise the minds of SNP activists at this moment in time. This is quite the worst aspect of her statement. It has opened up a whole can of worms which is being gleefully exploited by the media.

Speaking personally, I have no problem with RT. I watch it regularly and find it interesting, clever and entertaining. It also sometimes reports events an hour or so before any other news media.

Yes, I am well aware of the propaganda element; but the fact that I enjoy most of the programmes does not mean that I believe or agree with everything it says. After all, who can deny the fact that there is propaganda and false or misleading information pumped out on a daily basis through the columns of the British press?

I wonder, incidentally, if Nicola would have made similar criticisms if Alex had offered to launch his programme on Fox or CNN! Or has she been so conned by the totally unsubstantiated claims that RT has been trying to interfere in British (possibly Scottish) elections that she feels it should be kept as far from the eyes of Scottish viewers as possible?
Jim Towers
Peterhead, Aberdeenshire