My friend died in January 2021, a few days after testing positive for Covid. He spent the last 12 months of his life in his nursing home more or less in solitary confinement, mostly using Skype to contact family and friends. He was ill and confused, and I’ll never really know if he understood why people had stopped visiting him. I hope he did not think he’d been abandoned. He died in his room in the early hours. I was informed by telephone. After nearly 40 years of friendship, we were unable to say goodbye. We don’t know how Covid got into his nursing home and infected him – only that it was not introduced by a visitor, because there were none. We complied with Boris Johnson’s rules to keep my friend and others safe, in the hope that we could meet again normally. The contrast between us and Boris Johnson could not be greater (Starmer calls Johnson ‘a man without shame’ as PM gives Partygate apology, 19 April). We were not national leaders, just two people trying to do our best in very difficult times. There can be no greater privilege than leading one’s nation, and with great privilege comes a great responsibility to set and maintain the highest standards. Johnson has set the lowest standard one could achieve and compounded his contempt for his privileged position by initially choosing to deny what he did, and then offering an apology in the expectation that we would all move on. My message to him is: it’s time that you moved on. Ann Holden Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria • I lack the wisdom and eloquence of Peter Hennessy, referred to in Marina Hyde’s column (Seriously, Tory party, there is no pooper scooper big enough to clear up Johnson’s constant mess, 19 April), but share his despair at the parlous state of our politics, our constitution and our country under Boris Johnson’s leadership. Most Tory MPs seem to have decided to base their decision on whether to oust Johnson on the outcome of the May local elections, ie political expediency, rather than any principle of what is right or wrong. At the same time, this shameless government tries to protect the prime minister by hiding behind Ukraine’s agony. It is difficult to decide which is the more contemptible. It is time to put an end to our national nightmare and be rid of the moral vacuum who currently holds the highest office in the land. Jane Barrett Buxton, Derbyshire • Excellent idea to equate Johnson’s fixed-penalty notice with a speeding fine (‘He was ambushed with cake’ and other stories: Tories get creative to defend PM, 19 April). Three more penalty notices and he will have 12 points on his licence and will be banned from parliament. He may also need to stand in a byelection to get his licence back. Bring it on. Phil Tate Chester • So, No 10 is feeling bullish that Boris Johnson has “crossed the Rubicon” (Tory plotters eye local elections as next chance to oust Boris Johnson, 18 April). Do they know what “crossing the Rubicon” means? Julius Caesar deliberately broke the law of the Roman republic by crossing the Rubicon with one legion, thus initiating five years of civil war. Is that what the Conservative party really wants? Patricia Baker-Cassidy Oxford • Isn’t the Conservative party oak tree logo a greenwood tree under which it implicitly asks: “who loves to lie with me”? Claude Scott Richmond, London • Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication.