As someone who believes strongly that Britain and the world owe a huge debt of gratitude to Winston Churchill, I find little to disagree with in Priyamvada Gopal’s take on the current re-examination of the reputation of one of our greatest prime ministers (Why can’t Britain handle the truth about Winston Churchill?, 17 March). There is no doubt that Churchill entertained racist views, rightly viewed now as reprehensible, albeit ones that would have been – pace Professor Gopal – unexceptional in his own day. The reputation of any historical figure is not enhanced if his supporters simply go into denial over how he truly viewed the world. And no – I wouldn’t have voted for Churchill’s party in 1945 either. His father’s reply was: “You should have pointed your rifle and shot the coffin.”Dr John MorrisonScarborough, North Yorkshire

Source: The Guardian March 21, 2021 17:48 UTC