Contrary to Paul Mortimer-Lee’s letter (February 18), both the UK and US constitutional orders have been stretched to breaking point in recent years but one still stands and it’s not the US. Boris Johnson gained office initially without an overall majority and suspended parliament to prevent dissident Tory MPs from voting against his government, purging two dozen members in the process. He was eventually expelled from office by the members.
In contrast, Republican members of Congress voted not to remove Donald Trump and bar him from office after he attempted to overturn the 2020 election and his unappointed personal agent is now slashing government departments and spending without its approval or oversight. Like any human institution, these political systems depend on informal norms. Both are flawed but one passed the test and the other (so far) has not.
Robert Denham
Oakland, CA, US