Brexit blues

Brexit has come down to the wire, and the vote of the 13 Scottish Tories could be the difference between Scotland leaving the EU or not. It would thus be hugely significant in any subsequent Indy referendum. In the 2017 general election, Ruth Davidson’s Tories campaigned against a hard Brexit, but so far they have voted with the government every time. Scotland’s population is falling, we need immigrants, but Boris Johnson’s deal will stop free movement and we will suffer. We need access to the single market and customs union; this deal will allow Northern Ireland to benefit from some of these arrangements, but not Scotland.

Boris Johnson’s reckless deal is fanning the flames of independence, the Tories are as big a threat to the Union as any nationalist movement. It is time for the Scottish Tories to stand up and be counted, not be herded like sheep into the Commons lobbies today.

PHIL TATE Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh

The United Kingdom is now very close to a deal with the European Union, we are told. A major sticking point, however, is the Irish Backstop.

The Prime Minister will have to convince colleagues in Northern Ireland – in particular the Democratic Unionist

Party – that the best deal would involve a customs border down the Irish Sea, although in previous negotiations an Irish Sea customs border was not acceptable to the Irish Republic or Northern Ireland. Any deal which is agreed by the European Union will of necessity need to be favourable to them, which means that it will be unfavourable to the United Kingdom.

There is also the £39 billion alimony pledge which was agreed at the outset of negotiations, but we have not heard much about it of late, so is it still on the table?

The last step, of course, is what parliament decides – that is the big question.

JAMES MACINTYRE Clarendon Road, Linlithgow

Boris Johnson, often accused by the SNP of being a liar, has done what many said could not be done – he’s been able to reach agreement on a Brexit deal with the EU. The SNP should be happy, particularly as they keep reminding us that they would do anything to avoid a no-deal Brexit. I suspect that it is they who are peddling lies and that today’s vote will illustrate exactly that when they put party dogma before country.

KEN CURRIE Liberton Drive, Edinburgh