Theresa May must not give in to the EU’S arbitrary financial demands

SIR – You report (October 20) that Emmanuel Macron has dismissed Theresa May’s offer of a €20 billion Brexit bill, and that Mrs May has not ruled out paying €60 billion.

Mrs May must not commit any of our money to the EU until we have seen an itemised bill. We should pay what we owe, but we shouldn’t casually give away money that could be spent on hospitals, education, care and defence. A hard bargainer is always respected – an appeaser never. Brian Farmer

Chelmsford, Essex

SIR – Charles De Gaulle did not want us in and made it very difficult; now Mr Macron does not want us out.

Can one ever trust the French? Desmond Mulvany

Shepperton, Middlesex

SIR – It’s clear that Germany and France are terrified by the prospect of “no deal”: it means they will have to stump up the funding gap for the other 25 EU members. What they know, however, is that if there is no deal then Britain can fall back on World Trade Organisation terms.

This puts us in a much stronger negotiating position than many people seem to appreciate. It also explains why the bloc wants the money aspect fixed first. We should not fall for that. Lord Balfour

Arundel, West Sussex

SIR – You suggest (report, October 20) that the threat of Boris Johnson as prime minister has both incensed EU politicians and persuaded them to negotiate, for fear that Mrs May can make no further concessions without losing her position. This is good news.

The EU may be realising that its behaviour with David Cameron caused Brexit and cost him his job. I welcome this first attempt at negotiation. Tim Major

Haywards Heath, West Sussex

SIR – The EU has thrown Mrs May a few crumbs of comfort – not in an attempt to help negotiations but to extend the runaround period, with the bonus of creating an opportunity to accuse Britain of being unreasonable. Simon Warde

Bognor Regis, West Sussex

SIR – The EU negotiators have managed a brilliant campaign.

At the start, they set the agenda. To speed up the process, we accepted their timetable. Throughout, we have desperately sought a breakthrough, culminating in poor Mrs May pleading for something she can put to her electorate. Now she is about to collapse, they have acknowledged some progress, but not quite enough: we just need to make a few more concessions before trade talks begin.

The EU needs Mrs May to survive the process, as her likely replacement could be a real negotiator who appreciates our strength. Now is the time to thank her for her contribution so she can retire. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate. Peter Edwards

Lichfield, Staffordshire