Only option now is to stay in EU

■ The EU must be having a right laugh at the Tory civil war after two years of monumental farce.

The resignations of the dishevelled minister Boris Johnson and hapless former Brexit minister David Davis is long overdue.

Let’s look at the facts – a hard Brexit is out, out, out (there is no British parliamentary support for it) and the Chequers plan is a permit to negotiate a realistic soft Brexit (the EU will soften it more during negotiations).

Mrs May has no other choice: the complexities – social, political and economic; fundamental issues around the Irish Border/Good Friday Agreement and the agreed backstop; the DUP’s stranglehold on the UK government, all mean either Northern Ireland, or the United Kingdom as whole, must stay very closely to the EU, its rules, regulations, customs union and single market.

Just walking off the edge of a cliff would be insane, economically and politically – the equivalent of setting your house on fire one room at a time.

Dump Mrs May and you will likely have an election, a possible Labour government and the same Brexit problems will remain.

At this stage, the best thing would be for Britain to think again and simply stay in the EU.

Bernard Guinan Claremorris, Co Mayo