The EU is weaponising the Irish border to scupper a Brexit agreement

SIR – The longer negotiations with the EU continue, the clearer it becomes that the EU does not want a workable outcome. Its aim is, and always has been, to punish us for leaving.

Its handling of the Irish border and Gibraltar will scupper talks. It is only a matter of time before we walk away and take with us all the lovely money the EU desperately wants.

Only then will the EU begin to take these talks seriously.

Andrew H N Gray

Edinburgh

SIR – I do believe that it is time that the EU was reminded that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.

Does it really want to kiss goodbye to the divorce settlement? After all, the money is the only thing the EU wants out of the negotiations. Charles Penfold

Ulverston, Cumbria SIR – Walk away. Rodney Howlett Darley Dale, Derbyshire SIR – It is no surprise to me that the British proposals for a post-brexit Irish border have been rejected by the EU.

I have no doubt this was planned by the EU long ago. Michel Barnier, its chief negotiator, has stated that if no agreement is reached on this, then the fallback position already “agreed” is to let Northern Ireland remain in the customs union and single market. That British negotiators fell for this position shows their naivety.

Also in Mr Barnier’s pocket is Gibraltar. If Spain does not get its way concerning Gibraltar, it can apparently veto any agreement. It is blackmail.

The United Kingdom must look the EU in the eye and say “No” to any further prevarication concerning Britain’s reasonable proposals.

I believe the majority of people in the United Kingdom do want a Brexit that is beneficial for both parties, but not at any price. The time may be near for Britain to end negotiations and implement WTO arrangements. Keith Taylor

Colchester, Essex SIR – Members of both Houses of Parliament should be honest and acknowledge the fact that it would be pointless for the United Kingdom to leave the EU while remaining in the customs union.

Parliamentarians should not be signalling their support for the EU bureaucrats who are flagrantly using the Irish border issue to wreck meaningful negotiations.

At this critical time, all should remember the true fallback position as explained by Theresa May: that no deal is better than a bad deal. Alex Dempsey

Chalgrove, Oxfordshire

SIR – With the EU negotiators making it so very difficult for the United Kingdom to make a clean exit, surely Remainers must now realise that for us to rejoin would mean having to accept even more restrictive conditions than before.

Is that what they really want? Ken Harris

Reydon, Suffolk