Dating as I do from the second world war, I can assure Zoe Williams that the Tory party started imploding well before Boris Johnson, David Cameron and co (Enjoying the implosion of the Tories? That’s understandable – but completely wrong, 6 October). One-nation Tories became extinct the minute Margaret Thatcher took office.
The true old-school Conservatives were the Macmillan generation, and they were possibly a one-off. That generation had seen two world wars (Macmillan was wounded in the first), they’d witnessed the great slump of the 1920s and 30s, and consequently they’d had their eyes opened and had to question their often privileged upbringings.
They largely continued the Keynesian social democratic policies established by Labour’s Clement Attlee (also public school educated and wounded in the first world war) and this continued until Thatcher established the wrecking ball of Friedmanism, which has now had 45 years to demonstrate its legacy of record inequality, tottering public services and our companies departing abroad in ever increasing numbers.
But don’t hold your breath for a change in the party. The English electorate, at least, have always shown a healthy appetite for masochism and being told their place. There may be life in Thatcherism yet.
David Redshaw
Saltdean, East Sussex
Kemi Badenoch says that she will scrap stamp duty on primary residences if elected (Report, 8 October). The “party of fiscal responsibility” proposes to create a tax deficit while the country’s debt is running at 100% of GDP and we pay almost as much in debt interest as we do on education. How is this responsible?
Does she understand nothing about the factors driving house prices? People’s ability to buy is limited by their ability to borrow, and part of the borrowing needs to cover the cost of paying stamp duty. Cut out the stamp duty and all that will happen is house prices will rise to close the gap. The economic illiteracy of the Tories continues to astound me.
Des Senior
Aylesbeare, Devon
The Conservative leadership now regrets that the size of our civil service has increased in the last nine years. Did it not occur to any of them that leaving the EU would involve adding extra staff in London to handle regulatory issues that had been managed collectively with our partners in the EU, as well as to negotiate the multiple bilateral relationships with our European neighbours that are essential now that we are outside?
William Wallace
Liberal Democrat, House of Lords
While agreeing with Polly Toynbee that a grownup centre‑right party is a necessary evil, I hope she’s not expecting us to look out the nose peg she has previously championed to go out and vote for them (I didn’t think I’d ever say this: let’s hope the Tory party can be saved, 7 October).
Les Bright
Exeter
“Britain badly needs a grownup party of the centre right,” says the subheading on Polly Toynbee’s article. Isn’t that what Labour is trying to be?
Katy Jennison
Witney, Oxfordshire
The Tory rot really started when Boris Johnson booted out all the MPs who showed signs of shrewdness and decency over Brexit.
Peter Brooker
West Wickham, London
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