We are living under probably the most incompetent, callous, criminally negligent and corrupt government in living memory, yet few seem to be concerned about this. Of course this would indeed be an incomprehensible situation if, as Andy Beckett seems to assume, it is common knowledge that the government is a shambles (Nobody denies Johnson’s government is incompetent. But do enough voters care?, 22 August). But our citizenry can only make judgments based on the information they are supplied with. Living in a country with such centralised and monolithic media, with their obsequious deference to the Tory regime and feeding the populace a steady stream of distracting gossip and rightwing ideas, it is little wonder that a majority still support it. John Green London • Andy Beckett’s piece made much of the notion that many voters just don’t seem to give a toss about the world-leading incompetence of our government. However, the hardest thing for many people to admit is that they got it wrong. Rather than not caring about the incompetence, they are in denial, and reacting furiously if their own incompetence in decision-making is challenged. Tory ministers lead the way in this low art. But things can change. Is there a chance that the US electoral process in November might show that sanity can prevail four years after disaster? We can but hope. But then we have the delights of Brexit to come. Ric Carey Portsmouth • The mainly English nationalist electorate will be faced with stark choices in four months. A possible winter Covid-19 spike, a no-deal, cliff-edge Brexit, mass unemployment and an economy in deep recession. Austerity, privatisation and cronyism have stripped local authorities of the ability to effectively carry out their historic role in pandemic control. Plus the ignorance of the privatisation of care has cost tens of thousand of lives of the elderly and infirm. Only when the simplistic slogans are confronted, and there is a sense of public unity against the Tory party lie machine and a continued challenge to government incompetence, will a new norm be established. Lawrence Knight Aylesham, Kent • Join the conversation – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters