Britain should leave the Brexit talks if the EU refuses to be constructive

SIR – The outright rejection by unelected EU bureaucrats of Britain’s proposals for the Northern Irish border is sickening.

The feeling is exacerbated by their suggestion that the only way to achieve a frictionless border would be for Britain to remain in the customs union, even though the Prime Minister has made it absolutely clear, on many occasions, that this is not an option.

So entrenched is the EU in its “project” that it is unable to consider sensible suggestions to resolve the issue. Furthermore, it simply isn’t good enough for the EU just to reject Britain’s proposals without putting forward viable alternatives that would not breach our red lines.

The time is fast approaching for the Prime Minister to consider walking away from the talks until the EU regains a sense of realism and fairness, and stops playing politics with such a sensitive area of the negotiations. Michael Schultz

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk SIR – In the negotiations so far, we have secured only one concession from the EU – the right to negotiate trade deals during our transition period as a vassal state. Now, because the EU has rejected a perfectly workable solution for the Irish border, we “may be forced to stay in the customs union” for the long term.

This would leave us busily negotiating trade deals for two years, only to abandon them all and stay in the customs union, with the EU controlling our trade policy. Liam Fox and his Department for International Trade could all go home, having wasted their time for four years.

This is an interesting new definition of the term “transition”. Ken Worthy

Esher, Surrey

SIR – I fail to understand why Britain should have to produce a solution to the border issue.

The Government should tell the EU: we are happy not to have any border checks. If you want to protect the integrity of your customs area, then you introduce whatever type of border you want. Charlie Goodall

Winchester, Hampshire

SIR – Even to the most determined Brexiteer, it is surely obvious now that a meaningful break from Europe is not going to happen. The Eurocrats are far more clever than our politicians, who have been hamstrung throughout the Brexit process by their own inadequacies and a blatantly pro-european civil service.

But the most guilty person remains Theresa May, whose decision to go to the country in 2017 dealt a fatal blow to Brexit. Ever since, Brussels has known that Mrs May will be unable to get parliamentary consent to any outcome that does not include our continuing membership of the customs union. I’m afraid it is game over and I really fear the inevitable political and social consequences of this debacle. Alan Quinton

Eastbourne, East Sussex