Our next PM must be prepared to shake up the Brexit negotiations
SIR – Once a new prime minister has been appointed, Britain will need to reset its approach to negotiations with the EU.
We already know that a half-hearted commitment to Brexit, combined with a lack of clarity about our desired outcome and a willingness to concede demands, will result in Britain being treated like a doormat by Brussels.
There needs to be a profound shake-up, signalling to the EU that things are going to be very different. The person leading negotiations needs to be clear-sighted, passionately committed to Brexit, unreasonably demanding and a little unpredictable, so that EU negotiators won’t know exactly how things will play out. They must also be prepared to walk away.
Does this seem to point towards any particular candidate? Dr Peter Grey
Hurley, Berkshire
SIR – You need two things above all to be a successful prime minister: charisma and powers of oratory. Boris Johnson has both in spades and Jeremy Hunt has neither.
Fed up though the country may be with reading about Mr Johnson’s private life, he is the only candidate of the two left who has the conviction to carry Brexit over the line.
The most successful politicians in our history have not been perfect – often they have been very divisive – and what this country needs right now is a someone with real leadership skills. Mr Hunt, decent as he may be, is not that man. Charlie Caminada London SW10 SIR – During six years as health secretary, Mr Hunt managed one notable achievement. He shares with Barbara Castle the distinction of being one of only two ministers who have induced junior doctors to strike.
Beyond that, the NHS stumbled from crisis to crisis. Is this really who we want to lead the country? Dr Frank Booth
Exmouth, Devon SIR – Mr Hunt has vowed to write off tuition fees for young entrepreneurs who launch their own business upon leaving university.
My daughter is a midwife who graduated with first-class honours, and started work immediately on qualifying. She still works for the NHS and is a lead midwife. She has a student loan.
As I understand it, Mr Hunt is proposing to cancel the loans of businesspeople, but not those of lower-paid, hard-working graduate NHS workers. He appears to have forgotten anything he might have learnt as health secretary very quickly. Lesley Elphick
Southampton
SIR – Between February and October 1963, Britain’s prime minister and the opposition leader both were called Harold. Mr Hunt’s backers must explain why Britain is ready to repeat this anomaly. Professor Ged Martin
Youghal, Co Cork, Ireland