What should voters who favour Brexit do if the local party candidate is a staunch Remainer?
SIR – I am in favour of an election to give a strong hand to our Brexit negotiating team, but I am concerned that the candidates for whom we will be asked to vote are less than credible to represent us.
How do MPs who have a history of being staunch Remainers, but whose constituents voted heavily for Britain to leave, equate their personal actions with representing their constituents?
Should they stand or should they step aside? Should voters put their interests first and vote for someone else? As this election appears to be being fought on Brexit alone, how do voters judge the candidates while addressing wider concerns? John Hinton East Bergholt, Suffolk
SIR – What will millions who voted for Ukip in the past do? Will they vote for Ukip and risk losing Brexit by letting in Labour and the Lib Dems? Or will they vote Conservative and sink Ukip? Phil Coutie Exeter, Devon
SIR – You quote an EU diplomat (report, April 19) as suggesting that Mrs May will now be “less weak when she gives away the concessions she has to make”.
Mrs May should respond by saying that, in fact, she will be in a stronger position to demand the concessions the EU must make if it wishes to continue trading with us as at present. Huw Wynne-Griffith London W8
SIR – As a confirmed Brexiteer I am delighted Mrs May has called an election. But I recommend caution in forecasting the result as we all know the abysmal record of opinion polls. There is a lot of work to do. Flo Kaufmann London N2
SIR – I hope media interviewers will make clear that membership of the EU single market requires acceptance of the four freedoms, including the free movement of people. Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, forgets to mention this fact whenever he is interviewed. Tim Elliott Salisbury, Wiltshire
SIR – I am astonished at people complaining about another election.
The fight for universal suffrage was long and hard, especially for women. Jackie Perkins Whitstable, Kent
SIR – William Hague (Comment, April 19) wrote: “Seldom has a prime minister emerged from 10 Downing Street to make an announcement so utterly and completely justified and correct.” Not since David Cameron’s resignation speech, anyway. Gordon Brown Grassington, North Yorkshire
SIR – Mrs May will be criticised for her decision not to participate in televised debates, but she is right. Recent “debates”, before referendums and elections, were dominated by loud and partisan members of the public, whose questions were disingenuous and bogus.
It may be true that few modern politicians deserve respect, but it is not much fun watching them being treated with contempt on television by exhibitionist “ordinary voters” trying to become television stars for a night.
Give me the Gillian Duffys of the hustings any day. Alasdair Ogilvy Stedham, West Sussex
SIR – Given that the BBC will not have budgeted for a 2017 election night, might we be spared the spectacle of Jeremy Vine’s representation of the results as they happen? Dr Chris Daley Harrogate, North Yorkshire
SIR – John Bercow’s career as Speaker will, in any event, come to an end with the new Parliament. Should he not resign at the dissolution and give the electors of Buckingham the chance finally to elect a campaigning MP and not just a Speaker? David Dilly Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
SIR – My schoolboy stamp collection started in the Sixties and among the first commemorative issues was the European Free Trade Association set of February 1967.
Subsequent commemorative issues by the Royal Mail celebrating Britain’s relationship with Europe occurred in January 1973, May 1979, and May 1984. Then in October 1992 there was an issue for the Single European Market.
May I ask whether the Royal Mail plans stamps marking Brexit, and if so what images will be featured on them? Richard Lyon Cambridge
SIR – Welcome back, Matt – we need you to get us through the next few weeks. Joyce Greener Luton, Bedfordshire