IT was interesting to learn (Old Etonians unite, HT, June 27) that our Herefordshire MPs are men of discernment and are backing Boris Johnson to lead the Conservative party, because they all attended the same school despite the fact that the man is a buffoon, a self-confessed liar and has been tried and tested in high office (Foreign Secretary) in which he displayed ignorance of foreign affairs and made gaffes that only added to the poor opinion the rest of the world has of the United Kingdom as we continue to seek ways to sever our connections with our continental neighbours and good allies.

They must also be aware that Johnson’s stint as Mayor of London brought him little credit and that despite his timely replacement tens of millions of taxpayers’ money was lost on vanity projects like the proposed garden bridge across the Thames.

How pathetic of Bill Wiggin to say that his support is ‘because he does not want the Labour party to win the next election’. What election? Of course it is true that at the time that Gordon Brown took over the Premiership from Tony Blair, Johnson was quoted as saying that it was wrong of him not to face an election and so perhaps we can take it as given that, if successful in becoming leader through a far from democratic process (how many of us have a vote?), he will go to the country?

But I hope that they will bear in mind that the Tories do not have a divine right to rule and if democracy still exists in this country the question of who wins the next election needs to be put to the popular vote and does not depend upon Bill Wiggin’s support for the least worthy candidate.

F.A.Milligan

Hereford