SIR - Foreign secretary William Hague is stepping down before he is pushed.

He has been a complete disaster in post, he has shown a profound lack of understanding of the Middle East – its politics, religion and tribal allegiances.

With belligerent prime minister David Cameron the pair have played leading roles as post imperialists in fanning the early embers of the potential firestorm which has now engulfed Syria and the wider Middle East, the awakening Arab spring soon become the winter of death, destruction, disease and utter devastation.

Mr Max Hey, Fairway Grove, Bradford