Not so comic

The best explanation of Britain’s relationship with the EU was provided by an episode of Yes Minister in 1980 when Sir Humphrey Appleby told his boss: “Britain has had the same foreign policy objective for at least the last five hundred years: to create a disunited Europe. In that cause we have fought with the Dutch against the Spanish, with the Germans against the French, with the French and Italians against the Germans, and with the French against the Germans and Italians. We tried to break the EU up from the outside, but that didn’t work. However now we’re inside we can make a complete pig’s breakfast of the whole thing.”

Sadly, Sir Humphrey didn’t spell out for our less perceptive xenophobes that leaving the EU would be a huge mistake and unite the whole of Europe against us. (REV DR) JOHN CAMERON

Howard Place, St Andrews

I agree with James Macintyre when he says we must be tougher in the Brexit talks as regards the increasing threats from the EU team (Letters, 28 July).

In addition, the UK should immediately stop the £18 million a day we give the EU and tell these “negotiators” that unless they accept our proposals, import tariffs will be imposed on all Mercedes and BMW cars. That will focus their attention.

CLARK CROSS Springfield Road, Linlithgow

Bill Jamieson tellingly compares Brexit to Dunkirk (Perspective, 27 July). Well, I hate war metaphors because they always imply casualties – and perhaps are not sensitive to real hardship. Indeed, there will be hardship. We now have predictions from the Centre for Cities that Scottish cities will do badly out of any kind of Brexit in terms of economic performance. I feel sorry

about Bill Jamieson’s feeling that his Brexit ministers are “outnumbered and outclassed”. I have heard them called all kinds of things by their chief allies: eg narcissistic and lazy. And the Tory press has denounced their acceptance of a longer transition before leaving (and free movement in that timeframe) as a betrayal. The European negotiators also know that they are on the back foot and as a result are now inflexible about immigrants’ rights and

the bill for leaving. They know we desperately need a transition deal so can’t simply walk out of talks suddenly. Yes, Dunkirk meant casualties, and it is about time Scots Tory MPS showedtheyweresendingevery boat they have to rescue a situation entirely of Tory making. This metaphor implies the Norway solution or new referendum on the final deal are the only ports available in the Dunkirk storm.

ANDREW VASS

Corbiehill Place, Edinburgh