SIR – As someone who has no allegiance to any political party but who is strongly concerned that our democracy is run with transparency and adheres to its principles based in the law, I would like to draw attention to perhaps deeper problems surrounding the situation created by Dominic Cummings.

Most people can see the unfairness and injustice of the leniency being applied to the Prime Minister`s close adviser and are perhaps wondering why one person can wield such power and influence over the Prime Minister and the entire government.

It is always unwise to rely too heavily on one person for advice and guidance, surely Dominic Cummings is not indispensable to the safe governance of our country.

If he is, why is he? Surely cabinet ministers and the Prime Minister himself can make decisions based on advice from many different sources and use their own discriminating faculties to make decisions and to lead.

This is such a critical time in the pandemic which has been badly led from the start with the delay of 3 weeks to the start of lockdown, something which will have cost thousands and thousands of unnecessary deaths. There is an understandable unease about the easing of lockdown measures, particularly as there were 265,227 confirmed positive cases yesterday (Tuesday), far too many to enable  proper tracing, testing and isolating to be effective.

Decisive leadership is needed before people decide that there is no point in adhering to the guidelines as it appears that we can all decide what is best for ourselves.

A second wave is bound to follow, possibly more catastrophic than the first.

Why is Dominic Cummings so important to the Prime Minister and the cabinet? What is the top adviser masterminding? What is the plan for the Civil Service which provides the backbone of our democracy?

What are the government`s plans for our democratic way of governance which has already been under attack when Parliament was prorogued?

Why does Dominic Cummings have to attend the Sage meetings, something unheard of?

These meetings should be held with just the scientists involved so that they have no political pressure put on them and can discuss possibilities and solutions in complete freedom?

We need transparency and integrity, two qualities clearly lacking and which are much needed to restore confidence in the government.

It all somehow reminds me of Rasputin and his influence on the Tsar and how in the end he contributed to their downfall.

Geraldine Lowman

Worcester