Readers' letters:

Has Sir John Major struck the right note in calling for a caretaker prime minister while the Conservatives go through the process of electing a new leader?

When I heard that Boris Johnson had committed not to take any major decisions in the time before he steps down as premier, I groaned with scepticism. He cannot possibly know what events, either at home or abroad, could prompt the need for decisive action in the coming months.

His party and the opposition no longer feel he should be trusted with that degree of power. The case for resignation with immediate effect and passing responsibility to the deputy prime minister Dominic Raab is strong.

Indeed, so is the case for a truncated leadership contest, settling the matter of the succession no later than late August. If the party members are to be involved it should be made clear that the time scale be shorter than usual.

The case for treating Mr Johnson differently to David Cameron and Theresa May might seem harsh, but the reasons for their resignations, in 2016 and 2019 respectively, were different to that of the present incumbent.

Both had decided that the issue of membership of the European Union, or rather that of leaving it, had made their positions untenable.

Mr Johnson had lost the trust of his parliamentary party and a large number of party members. It was lost because of concerns over his personal integrity and the way he was contributing to disaffection among the public about political process.

These are matters the Conservative 1922 Committee should take into account when it looks at the election process on Monday.

The longer he stays in office the longer it will take for the reputation of public office to be repaired.

Bob Taylor, Glenrothes.

BoJo legacy goes on

John McLellan (‘Edinburgh’s grassroots Conservatives no longer believe in PM Boris Johnson’, 7 July) does not mention that the roguish political culture set by Mr Johnson will continue.

Nor that the feeble opposition Labour party under Mr Starmer has supported the Conservatives’ illiberal legislation, and the lack of Labour policies on their "making Brexit work”. Mr Johnson was criminally sanctioned, has ridden over domestic and international law such as the devolution settlement in Scotland and the Geneva Convention.

He gave seats in the House of Lords to Conservative donors, criminalised protest and dissent and put proposals to rip up the whole population’s rights in the Human Rights Act.

Ministers have refused to release official diaries from pandemic showing likely meetings with lobbyists or donors. Labour need to hold them to account.

Scotland is better making its own way with a constitution, democracy, central bank and careful governance, close to Europe (it voted to remain). Westminster is spectacularly failing.

Pol Yates, Edinburgh.

Thank you Scotland

I recently had the great pleasure of visiting Edinburgh. I was first there almost 40 years ago and Scotland is even better than I remember it. The city is fabulous, the food and culture are unparalleled and the pubs….oh the pubs!

I appreciated the hospitality and kindness of the Scottish people. After four years of the horror and embarrassment of Trump, it helped my heart to heal when people did not confuse me with the government and were pleased to share their county, history and culture.

I am still apologising for Trump and asking people to be patient with the US; we still have quite a mess to clean up over here.

Linda LeTendre, New York.

Write to the Edinburgh Evening News

We welcome your thoughts. Write to [email protected] including name, address and phone number – we won't print full details. Keep letters under 300 words, with no attachments. If referring to an article, include date, page number and heading.

Subscribe

Subscribe at www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/subscriptions