Don’t worry everyone, the government is being incredibly reassuring

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

May tells us to be reassured that the government is stockpiling medicines and blood. I suppose the population was reassured in the 1930s when the government began distributing gas masks and building air raid shelters that no catastrophe was imminent.

David Mason
Darlington

Perhaps I should be a politician. I have already had a tin of corned beef for over a year!

Ian Turnbull
Carlisle

Universities offering unconditional places are leading students to become complacent

The news that almost a quarter of offers of university places are unconditional comes as no surprise to those of us teaching A-level courses.

As a secondary school teacher I have witnessed the number of these offers increasing enormously. It is hugely frustrating, as we see significant numbers of students failing to achieve the grades they are capable of. That in turn leads to questions being asked about the quality of our teaching when pupils achieve lower grades than predicted due to failing to put in the required amount of effort.

The only logical reason for this practice must be for universities to fill as many places as possible in order to maximise the funding they get per student. The argument that it raises standards is laughable, as not an insignificant number of students arrive at these universities carrying through the poor attitude to work they displayed in their A-level studies.

Name and address supplied

Parallels to Mars

Scientists have discovered liquid water on Mars, which leads to the possibility of life on Mars, which leads to the possibility of intelligent life on Mars, which is good as there doesn’t seem to be much here on Earth.

Dennis Fitzgerald
Melbourne, Australia

“This is certainly not a very pleasant environment for life,” said Roberto Orosei.

Very much like Donald Trump’s America, then.

Liam Power
Dundalk, Ireland

We don’t need an official ‘plan’, just for bosses to use common sense

So there are now calls for a “summer action plan” to deal with the heat, especially in the NHS.

Nonsense. I am increasingly worrying that those who claim to run UK institutions and the NHS in particular are rather stupid.

What is required is some common sense underpinned by professional judgement in helping staff and patients cope.

Reports of nurses not being allowed bottled water or the option not to wear tights just beggar belief.

If this letter sounds as if it is born out of frustration and exasperation, it is.

Anthony Ingleton
Sheffield