Blame the system
SIR – I recently heard yet another interviewee, in a publicly funded organisation, describe a problem as “systemic”.
In other words: “Not my responsibility”. Rosy Drohan
Bath, Somerset February 12) suggests that it is too late for the Government to negotiate Brexit from a position of strength, and that it is hogtied by the draft agreement negotiated before Christmas that allows Ireland to veto any deal.
She seems to have overlooked Article 5 of the Joint Report, which begins: “Under the caveat that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”.
Theresa May will never be forgiven if she allows Britain to continue as a vassal state of the EU. We still have a strong negotiating position in terms of cash and the balance of trade. Michael Staples
Seaford, East Sussex
SIR – In her letter (February 12) defending the contribution by George Soros to the Best for Britain campaign, Eloise Todd talks of democracy, but fails to mention that the main purpose of her organisation is to overturn the decision to leave the EU – arrived at through a democratic process. She therefore condones the imposition of laws on Britain by an unrepresentative political organisation – which does not sound like democracy to me. Alan Elliott
Sudbury, Suffolk
SIR – George Soros, like many of the 48 per cent, is genuinely worried that Britain is making a mistake.
It’s not enough for Brexit supporters to say that all forecasts are wrong. If that were the case, then no analysis of any future action would be useful.
Today we are in the Brexit phoney war. Business is waiting to see what happens. But we do have evidence of some of the economic dislocations coming. Our defence budget has been damaged by the fall in the pound. Sectors of our economy are finding it harder to attract overseas labour.
Nobody wants to disrespect the wishes of 17.4 million people. But we do need a clear plan from ministers for what Brexit will deliver, and an honest discussion about how to plug the economic gaps which arise. Patrick Seely
London SW1