Theresa May shows she has what it takes to lead Britain out of the EU

SIR – Theresa May is to be congratulated on her Bill to repeal the 1972 European Communities Act (report, October 2). This will put current European Union law under the aegis of the British Parliament, which can then amend it as it wishes without interference from Brussels.

Mrs May has also out-manoeuvred her opponents, because if they reject the Bill she can call a general election, win an increased majority and prove that she has the country’s support. David Kidd Petersfield, Hampshire SIR – Anna Soubry, one of the chief Remoaners, says she is concerned by Mrs May’s pledge to invoke Article 50 by the end of next March, before the French and German elections.

Why not wait until all the other EU countries have also had elections, keeping us in the EU indefinitely? Mrs May is right to press on and get us out of this dysfunctional organisation. Chris Mann Bristol SIR – With Article 50 due to be invoked within months, might this be a good time to order some fisheries protection vessels?

It is hard to believe that, without any policing of territorial limits, our European neighbours will simply start buying British fish rather than helping themselves.

Some ships, crew and shore-based personnel for Border Force couldn’t do any harm, either. Robert Langford Coventry, Warwickshire SIR – The Prime Minister really is leaving it as long as possible, isn’t she?

Her latest announcement means that if she does begin the Brexit process by March, the British people will have had to wait more than nine months since the referendum.

In the meantime, we will continue to pay £350 million each week to the EU; we will have uncontrolled immigration from the EU; and we will continue to be subject to its laws.

We have to keep the pressure on, as a lot could happen before March 31 next year, and we must make them realise what democracy really means. John Allen Chairman, Northampton Brexit SIR – The EU referendum was called, without evidence of overwhelming public demand, in the hope of healing divisions within the Conservative Party and halting the advance of Ukip. The Remain side presented detailed terms for staying in; the Leave side offered no equivalent but won by four percentage points.

One is entitled to ask whether these facts justify the Government’s policy of withdrawal. Much will depend on provision made (in the Bill to repeal the European Communities Act) for parliamentary oversight of the detailed terms for withdrawal.

The result of a referendum based on such insecure foundations must not trump the basic principles of parliamentary democracy. Mike Timms Iver, Buckinghamshire