No respite from political upheavals

Sir, So after the council elections, we had the general election so can we now look forward to some respite from the political process. Or can we? I am not so sure as, given the implementation of Article 50, we are now heading to negotiations with Europe regarding Brexit.

The bit that confuses me (and there are many) is the difference between a hard and a soft Brexit. Does one take longer to cook and, when finished, needs something else like mayonnaise to stop it being too dry while the other is ready quicker but really lacks any material substance and, in fact, without the addition of some salt and a piece of toast would be very bland?

To me, it is fairly simple, regardless of opinion in or out of Europe, the government of the day (and if you listen to the pundits, it could be that short) is about to enter long and complicated talks to get the best exit deal for the UK and on the other side of that table the European Union who unsurprisingly will be trying to negotiate the best deal for Europe.

Where soft versus hard becomes a bit confusing is that until the talks begin and compromises are made throughout the process, we will have no idea where it will lead. All the political parties in the UK are telling us the deal they would get ... really, I think Europeans might just have an opinion as well.

The way I see the political posturing following the referendum is a bit like some people rocking up in Las Vegas for the first time, approaching a poker table and telling the rest of the players how they are going to play. Then, once the game has started, showing the rest of the table your cards and asking for advice.

Finally, since the triggering of Article 50, the clock is ticking and this process is supposed to take two years. Would it be cynical to suggest that given it has taken eight years for Canada and Europe to come to a trading agreement that runs to approximately 1,600 pages, an agreement that is not only trade but territorial, migratory, legal and a multitude of other areas might take at least as long?

The European elections will be in June 2019.

If we are still negotiating that would mean in theory we are still a member. So do we get to vote again? Derek Connery, Chief executive, Bid4Oban.