SIR – A copy of a letter sent to my MP, Nigel Huddleston.

“Mr Huddleston,

I am sorry to have to contact you again about the actions of the Conservative Government.

I was bemused to read of the shutting down of Public Health England, to be replaced mid-pandemic by a new body consisting of the remnants of PHE, the Joint Biosecurity Centre together with Test-and-Trace.

“I waited with bated breath to see which well-respected epidemiologically-aware scientist would be appointed to head up this new organisation.

“It was absolutely zero surprise to find that scientific supremo Baroness Dido Harding had been appointed; 1. former chief executive of TalkTalk;  2. on the boards of the Jockey Club and Cheltenham Racecourse (responsible for supervising a vast gathering of people while the rest of the world was shutting up shop); and 3. in charge of Test and Trace (with a ‘world-beating’ success rate in July of 30 per cent contacted within 24 hours, or 45 per cent contacted within 48 hours), our only means of reducing the virus spread while no vaccine is available. Altogether not a true shining example of solid sensible leadership.

Why is Baroness Dido Harding considered the right person to head up the new National Institute for Health Protection? Does she have a shining scientific background?

She’s a buddy of David Cameron who appointed her to the House of Lords. And, worse than this, she is married to an MP who belongs to the 1828 Club, an organisation intent on driving us towards a US style insurance-based health service.

Why not, for such a critical appointment at such a critical time, actually interview a few candidates and put into the post someone with a proven track record?

I presume you are a man who went into politics to do your best; who lives by certain standards. There is little the public can do about our leadership for the next four years.

You, however, as a Conservative MP, have the opportunity to express your rejection of such low-grade leadership of loose morals; a pimp of a government giving jobs-to-the-boys.”

Jennifer Phillips

Pershore