With an historic agreement achieved, it is for MPS to put their country before party
sir – You ask (Leading Article, October 17) whether it is too much for MPS to put country before party. We may very soon discover that the answer to your question is “Yes”.
Justice Hawkins
Nottingham
sir – At long last a deal agreed. But before the ink is dry on the paper the usual suspects are lining up to rubbish it. I’m losing the will to live.
John Taylor
Purley, Surrey
sir – After three years of negotiations, the British Government and the EU have at last agreed a Brexit deal.
However, opposition parties, notably the SNP, Labour and the Liberal Democrats, will never accept this or any other agreement, whatever its contents, as they want to remain in the EU – ignoring the decision made by the British people.
A J C Gorman
Ickenham, Middlesex
sir – Why do the Leader of the Opposition and others who claim to respect the wishes of the people hate democracy?
Peter Cowey
Ponteland, Northumberland
sir – There were 148 Labour constituencies that voted Leave.
If MPS in these areas act honourably and represent their constituencies, they might just restore a little faith in their party and in democracy.
Chris Kerry
Castle Rising, Norfolk
sir – In anticipation of Parliament passing a revised Withdrawal Agreement on Saturday, might it be prudent to have emergency planning in place for the supply of eggs?
A great many will be needed for the faces of all the politicians and experts who assured us there was no chance of bringing back such an agreement and delivering Brexit before October 31.
Simon Malcolm
Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
sir – The Remainers’ campaign to hold a “confirmatory referendum” on the new Brexit deal is a ruse to weight the scales in favour of a Remain vote.
One option on the ballot paper would be to revoke Article 50 and stay in the EU, a proposition supported by all Remainers. The other option – accepting the deal now on offer – would be a qualified one, as some might wish to leave the EU, but not in the way outlined in the new deal.
To pit the specific terms of the new deal – promising as it may be – against an unqualified proposition of revoking Article 50 would mean an unfair referendum, with the dice loaded in favour of remaining in the EU.
Dr Michael Simons
Eastcote, Middlesex
sir – Politicians are complaining bitterly about the toxicity of British politics, but, to nobody’s surprise, we have seen the “Rebel Alliance” going to Brussels to urge that any deal must be delayed until a second referendum is held to see whether the public wants to accept it or remain in the EU.
Did the first referendum not occur? Most of those concerned stood for election to Parliament on the platform that they would uphold the referendum result. They have lied to the public.
If MPS wish to be treated with respect they have to remember that it is a two-way street. They must act as they pledge they will.
Charles Penfold
Ulverston, Cumbria
sir – On reading
Making a Success of Brexit and Reforming the EU,
by Roger Bootle, I was encouraged to find this review quoted: “‘Here it is – a book for every faint heart who thinks this country could never prosper outside the European Union. A timely and balanced analysis’ – Boris Johnson.”
How lucky we are to have him leading us at this time.
John Goldby
Keston, Kent
sir – Here is a quiz question. Which senior British politician told Andrew Marr in an interview in April 2014: “If there is no change at all in the way Europe is governed, no change in the balance of competences between the nation states and the European Union, no resolution of the challenge of how the Eurozone can succeed and coexist with the non-eurozone, that is not a Europe that can work for Britain in the future.”
The answer is Philip Hammond.
Michael Hickford
Wrentham, Suffolk
sir – If Jean-claude Juncker describes the deal as fair and balanced, what does that say about it? A clean break is preferable but unobtainable unless Mr Johnson has a surprise up his sleeve.
Roger Todd
Mayfield, East Sussex
sir – Am I alone in being irritated by the overuse of the word “deal”?
To me, a “good deal” is what a street trader offers to entice passing customers to a market stall – perhaps to sell a cheap bundle of towels or low-quality fruit and vegetables.
Surely it should not be used to describe the purchase of complex financial instruments such as insurance – still less, vitally important international agreements upon which our prosperity and identity depend.
Brian Gedalla
London N3
sir – A decade ago, my wife Hilary and I joined 2,000 others queuing outside Parliament, waiting to ask our MPS to give us a referendum on EU membership.
There was no shouting or flag waving, but one retired MP walked slowly along the queue chatting to as many people as possible. With his rucksack and unlit pipe he was easily recognisable and received a welcome from many who I’m sure did not share his political views.
On reaching us, “Tony” Benn thanked us for coming and was amused that we both shared his son’s first name. On hearing that I was a distant relative of his one-time friend SO Davies (MP for Merthyr Tydfil until 1972), he recounted anecdotes of their time together and their shared distrust of the European institutions and how important they believed it was for us all to defend our democracy.
I do not think Tony Benn would consider that his son’s recent actions have defended our parliamentary democracy – quite the opposite. At the Oxford Union in 2013, he said: “My view about the European Union has always been that I think they’re building an empire there, they want us to be part of their empire and I don’t want that.”
Hillary Bagshaw
Portsmouth, Hampshire
sir – Following yesterday’s announcement by the Prime Minister, am I alone in hearing an echo of “Peace in our time”?
Roger Backhouse
York
sir – What exactly does taking back control of our country mean?
It seems to me that we shall now just be a small island off Europe. We are leaving the world’s largest trading bloc to stand alone.
I dread to think what the terms of any trade deal with Donald Trump will be. Chlorinated chicken, hormoneinjected beef and the profitable parts of the NHS going to large American health companies. There will be a race to the bottom as we become a low-tax, low-regulation economy.
Brexiteers need to have a reality check.
Valerie Crews
Beckenham, Kent
sir – After his summary of Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit policy on cake (neither having it nor eating it), I am waiting for Boris Johnson to recite Sir Wilfrid Lawson’s poem about the early 20th century prime minister Arthur Balfour:
I’m not for Free Trade and I’m not for
Protection.
I approve of them both and to both have
objection.
In going through life I continually find It’s a terrible business to make up
one’s mind.
So in spite of all comments, reproach
and predictions
I firmly adhere to unsettled convictions.
Tim Matthews
Bollington, Cheshire
sir – Having just spent a week in Dublin, I was able to read The Irish
Times, which offers a seriously skewed view of Britain and Brexit.
The tone is hostile on both counts. The complete lack of understanding as to why 17.4 million people voted to leave the EU was depressing, and it was epitomised in an article by Peter Flanagan, an Irishman resident in London.
According to him, the decision to leave was essentially taken by politicians, and it reflected British nostalgia for the days when, as he put it, Britain was an international “bully”.
One might think that, of all peoples, the Irish would understand and acknowledge the entitlement of nations to recover lost sovereignty and govern their own affairs.
Roger White
Sherborne, Dorset
sir – Article VI of the Acts of Union says: “All Parts of the united Kingdom, for ever, from and after the Union, shall have the same Allowances, Encouragements, and Draw-backs, and be under the same Prohibitions, Restrictions, and Regulations of Trade, and liable to the same Customs and Duties, and Import and Export.”
It’s self-explanatory. Is it lawful?
Stuart Wilkie
Clenchwarton, Norfolk
sir – I dearly love this island of ours, and I will campaign tirelessly for the retention of the union of England, Scotland and Wales. I had not visited Northern Ireland until my mid-50s, but have been twice recently. It is a beautiful place, but not one that I recognise as British. The culture and values are as alien to me as any I will find in the outer reaches of the European Union.
I wonder, therefore, if I am alone among your readers in feeling anger that the politicians who represent this area, whose views on many issues I find reprehensible, are holding our country to ransom for the sake of a union that I fail to recognise.
John Bosworth
London W3
sir – I thank Theresa May for reminding those in power that government is not about headlines. I would, however, say to her that neither is it about “legacy”.
Geoffrey Reynolds
Kehelland, Cornwall
sir – Family members and even old friends have fallen out over Brexit. In America the same has happened over President Trump. I cannot recall a time when otherwise intelligent folk have become so personal and vindictive over matters on which their influence is so limited. What should these things portend?
John Pritchard
Ingatestone, Essex
sir – Once Brexit is resolved, we will need something new to argue about.
Rejoin?
Simon Shneerson
Chorleywood, Hertfordshire