• I WAS interested to read the letter (Russian roulette and HS2, March 10) regarding Oleg Deripaska, who is one of the oligarchs with close links to Vladimir Putin, being financially connected with the disaster that is HS2.

It is worth noting that the former chancellor George Osborne is now working for an investment bank that advised one of Deripaska’s companies.

I don’t know if they are still advising him but in view of the sanctions that should now cease.

It is amazing that it has taken a terrible war to do anything about these cosy relationships with oligarchs when there has been an utter failure to do anything since the cold war ended.

I recall Lord Mandelson also being on Deripaska’s yacht; so Labour in the past is also not immune from criticism.

Osborne was also previously editor of the Evening Standard despite having no qualifications for the job, though the fact that it is owned by another oligarch Evgeny Lebedev no doubt did him no harm.

A look at Osborne’s career shows that he manages to obtain jobs for enormous salaries that involve a minimum of effort or hours of work. He is a suitable case for applying sanctions.

More generally these political lightweights belong within the pages of the excellent novels by PG Wodehouse, the business of government is far too important to be entrusted to these inept buffoons.

PAUL BONNY, NW5