SIR – Unless this country finds another caveat or qualification method to select its top political leaders, then massive mistakes will continue to be made.

Under the last Labour government, the best opening to get to the top appeared to be a degree in law – Tony Blair, Jack Straw, Geoff Hoon, Harriet Harman, Liam Byrne, Alistair Darling and others, including Peter Mandelson.

Nowadays, a softer degree in politics seems to do the trick – David Cameron, William Hague and their merry men; Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander; the Milibands, Peter Hain, Ed Balls and wife Yvette Cooper, etc.

It’s a wonder I myself wasn’t advised to try my hand at a career in politics after three years as a bookworm for an English Literature degree, stuffing my head with make-believe stories, ideal for a training in modern politics.

P W Ashcroft, Carr Hill Road, Calverley