Frank Johnson of the CND and Chris Sumner (letters, November 26) both avoid the whole point of a nuclear deterrent . That is that no holder will use it specifically because if both sides use it mutual destruction is assured.

With a plethora of new vaccines the Covid-19 pandemic will soon be controlled. There is no climate crisis that can be averted by western countries acting alone and without including China. In any event global warming is natural and not man made.

The Chancellor has indeed cut the Foreign Aid budget from 0.7 per cent to 0.5per cent of GDP but this leaves us still way ahead of most countries and now only marginally below Germany which doesn’t have the defence budget we do. That 0.5 per cent will only be achieved by borrowing.

We are in unprecedented times with borrowing at a record high and millions about to suffer massive job losses and hardship.

How can it be fair and reasonable for us to borrow to pay for foreign aid ?

Michael McGough

Wellfields, Loughton