SIR: You report that Mr Brine has told the Prime Minister that there is “anger” among his constituents that the country is facing another lockdown (November 5). And he asked the Prime Minister what we did not do in June and July ... that we should have done. Well, I am one of his constituents and I am not angry that we are now in lockdown. But I am appalled that the dithering PM who, contrary to Mr Brine’s cringing excuses for him, has no excuses this time round, did not act sooner when he received scientific advice in September that the virus would increase and overwhelm the health service if no action was taken. I am appalled that Mr Johnson’s Chancellor was allowed to encourage people to go out together and eat out at the tax payers’ expense thereby spreading the virus – Johnson has admitted the possibility - whilst at half term there was not enough money in the public purse to ensure that kids from financially disadvantaged families got enough to eat. Mr Brine voted against providing the necessary funding for the half-term holiday. He must now be upset that the Prime Minister has changed tack for the Christmas holiday. Or, perhaps, he has changed his mind too?

The PM’s quoted reply to Mr Brine was disingenuous in the extreme. He thinks that “we” should have insisted that people isolated when they were contacted. What he doesn’t say is that the contact system, “world-beating” I believe he described it, has failed to achieve its objectives. Moreover, he has refused to criticise the person he appointed without any attempt to seek the best person for the job through normal recruitment procedures.

If Mr Brine wishes to make further claims about what his constituents feel, think, believe, he needs to look beyond his own views and those of his immediate circle to the 51 per cent who didn’t vote for him and consider carefully the best interests of all his constituents before claiming to speak for them.

Andrea Owen,

Culverwell Gardens,

Winchester