Stronger hand?

Many have said recently that Theresa May’s defeat in the Commons last week has severely weakened her authority with the EU.

In fact, it may have strengthened her hand, as any car salesman who says “I’m sorry, I’ll need to speak to the boss about that” to a customer will tell you.

Many textbooks on negotiating strategy list the concept of “higher” and “ambiguous” authority as a very powerful tool. It is a close relative of the more familiar “good cop/bad cop” tactic used in many TV crime programmes.

The ability to say “I’ll never get that through Parliament”, or to put pressure on a timebound decision by requiring some days to get parliamentary approval will, I am sure, serve her well in the coming months.

Especially when dealing with Messrs Juncker, Barnier and Tusk, who themselves will undoubtedly have 27 national government “cats” to herd. ALLAN SUTHERLAND Willow Row, Stonehaven

Groucho Marx once famously said a “Sanity Clause” was always part of a legal agreement. However, with regards to any Brexit deal, I question that assertion. Having said that, our negotiators are clearly living in a fantasy world with unrealistic expectations and might well believe in a Sanity Clause.

BILL DREW Cairn Road, Kirriemuir