No tears for EU envoy who got us in this mess
Last week saw the resignation of Sir Ivan Rogers, our man in Brussels – two days after Theresa May had made a plea for national unity in her New Year message. As he departed, Sir Ivan criticised the ‘muddled thinking’ of the Government’s approach to Brexit.
But he brought us to this point when he and David Cameron failed miserably to bring anything back from the EU negotiations before the referendum. Why has he waited until now to resign? Why did he not fall on his sword then?
He would appear to be just another sore loser who could not accept that the country is sick and tired of the over-bureaucratic monolith that is the EU, swallowing billions of pounds from this country’s coffers.
I wonder whether his resignation is another trick by the sore-loser brigade to try to cause further harm to the country. Meanwhile, the cynic in me notes that he hung on to his bumper salary and goldplated pension for several months after the vote.
John Roberts, Bradford
Sir Ivan Rogers failed to negotiate an agreement with the EU to restrict the number of immigrants coming to the UK. Until that time, he and Mr Cameron had the full support of the British public. The establishment is still preaching to us about Sir Ivan’s knowledge and experience of the EU rules and regulations but he has already proven his incompetence.
G. Bushell, Barrow-in-Furness
Surely this country cannot afford to lose someone with Sir Ivan’s experience with the Brexit talks about to start? Undermining the position of one of our top diplomats is wrong.
A. Brown, Richmond
If David Cameron’s ill-fated tour of Europe, in advance of the EU referendum, is anything to go by, the disappearance of Sir Ivan will have little or no effect whatsoever on the next round of talks, due to happen this year. Those initial talks were a farce.
Colin Davis, Woodchurch, Kent
Can we now expect that Sir Ivan will be rewarded with a senior and highly paid position within the EU’s inner sanctum? After all, Sir Ivan’s work with David Cameron was based on the arrogant assumption that voters would follow the Remainers’ doomsday scenario of life outside the EU.
Gerry Doyle, Liverpool
We should be telling the EU that we are moving forwards with the rest of the world (China, India, the US, Australia, Canada and emerging markets in general) but if the EU wants to continue trading with us on current terms, we will let them.
Anthony Taylor, York