A Tory party that stokes hatred is the real threat to our democracy

‘If Sunak is worried about threats to democracy posed by intolerance, extremism and mob rule, he and his senior colleagues should collectively look in the mirror.’ Photograph: Carl Court/Getty Images

I totally agree with Caroline Lucas’s condemnation of Rishi Sunak’s nauseating speech on Friday (‘I’m still reeling from Rishi Sunak’s shameless, dangerous speech’, 3 March). Sunak’s hypocrisy was breathtaking, even by this government’s low standards. No one has done more to promote division and intolerance than the Conservatives, or to demonise and insult those they dislike or disagree with.

Since 2010, we have seen the Home Office hire a fleet of vans telling immigrants to “go home”, heard the unemployed described as skivers not strivers, homelessness described as “a lifestyle choice”, opponents of Brexit portrayed as unpatriotic or ridiculed as “remoaners”, rightwing vigilantes vandalising Ulez cameras in London defended, and senior Conservatives recently insulting the Muslim (Labour) mayor of London. Meanwhile, young people are routinely derided as snowflakes, while anyone who believes in social justice or basic human decency is sneered at for being woke.