I FIND it very difficult to understand the ‘parties’ and culture of drinking and bad behaviour that has gone on in government.

Did they ever do any work?

I was, like so many of us, incensed at the idea of a party at Downing Street the day before our Queen (regardless of whether you are a royalist or not) sat on her own at her husband’s funeral.

Boris cancelled Christmas for the nation and this meant my husband and I spent our first one on our own in 52 years of marriage.

Boris cancelled Christmas, our family obeyed his rules and our daughter and her family did not visit in 2020.

Because of his rules, we did not visit our son in the US and have not seen him in two years.

I was a teacher and headteacher for 25 years.

We did celebrate someone leaving but this was never in school time – there was never any alcohol.

I cannot say for certain, but I could almost put my life on the line and say that there is not a ‘culture of alcohol’ in Poole Hospital, Tesco’s in Fleetsbridge, Corfe Hills School, Barclays Bank in Poole and any other large organisation.

‘Lack of leadership’ when you have been Ofsteded means that the head is generally out immediately and a troubleshooting team is put in place ASAP to sort out the culture and get a school back on track.

Hopefully a troubleshooting team will be put in place and maybe the people in Downing street – all of them – can start working for the country, which is what they are paid to do, rather than drinking and partying.

ANN HERRIDGE

Fairview Crescent, Broadstone