Cabinet not chosen for ability!

The shadow work and pensions secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, is right to criticise Therese Coffey on not knowing "her own government`s advice on people returning to their workplace", but he can hardly be surprised (Star, 01/10/20). Every week we see ministers embarrassed by their confusion in front of select committee questioning, or hear their ignorance first-hand on the Today programme. Johnson himself frequently appears at a loss as to what is happening and to what his own government has decreed, but what did even the Tory MPs who voted for him as leader expect? What probably came as a surprise to them was the obvious incompetence of Tory colleagues. Johnson, under strict orders from Cummings, selected his cabinet ministers on the basis of their loyalty, not their ability, and consequently, we hear secretaries of state who clearly have not read, let alone understood and memorised, their briefing papers. and ministers like education minister Gillian Keegan unable to clarify Covid rules. Of course, all of us are confused about the rules, but we are not in the cabinet and about to face interrogation which will inevitably include questions about the new regulations to control coronavirus; if we were we would do some homework, something this arrogant bunch of incompetents is clearly incapable of doing. The fact that it hasn`t occurred to anyone that a three-tiered system of Covid regulations, at least until now, with simple add-ons to top up the nationwide "rule of six", is needed, when so many areas, notably with districts of extreme poverty and deprivation, are being given "local lockdown" instructions, is simply unforgivable. The only explanation has to be that if the nation is confused by the regulations, there is more chance there will be some waywardness, and more opportunities to transfer the blame on to the people!