Theresa May between two fires: a Brexit deal and a Labour victory

SIR – Theresa May should have resigned when she went to the country last year and virtually lost the election. She is now saying that her interpretation of the Chequers proposals is the only one she is running with. In effect she is saying: “Back me or sack me.”

If the Tory party goes with this, it is giving Jeremy Corbyn and Labour the next general election.

When are we going to see backbone from senior Tories? She has to go. Trevor Gaskell

Bookham, Surrey

SIR – My initial response to your report (September 15) that Boris Johnson is advising Tory MPS to chuck Chequers but keep the Prime Minister was: “He would say that, wouldn’t he?”

But supposing they take him at his word? No rational person can believe the mantra: “She is an irreplaceable leader. It is just a pity that she has no vision of the future and clings to a policy on Europe which is a national disaster.” All Tory MPS will take party

considerations into account, but the national interest demands that she go and go now. Will no one speak for England? Professor Alan Sked

London School of Economics London WC2

SIR – Recently I saw the film Bridge of Spies in which a lawyer (Tom Hanks) negotiates with the Russians the prisoner exchange of the U2 pilot Gary Powers. It is a wonderful example of effective negotiating technique.

If only Mrs May and Philip Hammond had seen the film before instructing their own Brexit negotiator they might have obtained a result favourable to both Britain and the EU.

It may not be too late. Could you arrange for them to see a screening? Martin Glazebrook

Epsom, Surrey

SIR – It’s all very well for Mr Hammond, the Chancellor (Comment, September 15), to condemn the folly of Labour’s Marxist manifesto, and state that this country cannot afford another Labour government, but this catastrophe is made possible by the very actions of the Chancellor and the other Remain fanatics in the Cabinet.

Unless they deliver a full Brexit, as voted for by 17.4 million people, a Labour government will become a reality. If they deliver a half-in-half-out Brexit, as in the Chequers plan, Britain will abandon the Conservatives in its millions and open the door to Corbyn and Mcdonnell. Richard Burden

Rainham, Kent

SIR – Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has added his voice to those seeking a referendum with three choices: leave under Chequers-minus, leave under World Trade Organisation rules or remain in the EU. They know that we Leavers are too stupid to notice that this would split Leave, allowing Remain to win with little more than a third of the vote. Martin Herbert

Great Waltham, Essex