If ever we needed evidence that Boris Johnson has permanently damaged standards in public life, it is to see the frontrunner to replace him not even feeling the need to address the fact that he was also found to have broken the same Covid laws at the same event and paid a fine for it. In fact, Rishi Sunak has already shown worrying signs of an even more extreme attitude to press freedom and public accountability. Not only was John Crace barred from his leadership launch (I was ready for Rishi but he wasn’t ready for me, 12 July), but Beth Rigby of Sky News was heckled at the event when she asked embarrassing questions.
Sarah James
Monmouth
• Simon Jenkins’ column in praise of Rishi Sunak is sadly incoherent (Why the Labour party is praying for the Tories not to vote for Rishi Sunak, 12 July). He quotes Paul Johnson suggesting that the UK’s economic policy over the past three years has got just about everything wrong, and highlights repeated mistakes and misjudgments, but then says that Sunak is “the only candidate ... with a record of sustained competence”. These things cannot all be true.
Prof Kath Checkland
Hathersage, Derbyshire
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