A letter in the political news

ILike a bolt from the blue, letters have hit major headlines in the UK again. Late on Friday 9 June 2023, Boris Johnson sent into the public domain a very long resignation letter as an MP, described by some commentators as jumping before he was pushed. He has been subject to another investigation for political misdemeanours while prime minister, and possibly also lying as well, and it’s likely culmination if proven would be suspension from parliament.  It was written. It explains in response to a letter received, and it has a direct address and uses the term ‘we’ a lot, but it is lacking the formal attributes of a letter like a direct address to a particular individual. It hovers on the borders of being a letter and not being a letter , raising analytical issues about how to respond to it. This letter or call it what you will was written and sent into the public domain in less than 24 hours since a draft report about the investigation was received by him. It is extremely long and self-justificatory through and through, and provides an excellent example of why it is always better to sleep on things before responding precipitously. It will doubtless be picked over for its content and structure thousands of times. The bottom line is that it demonstrates the continuing power of letters, and that in some circumstances only a written letter addressed to a particular audience if not a particular individual will do for the purpose in hand. Death of the letter? Not likely!

The letter can be read at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65863336