We’re not bullying the EU, just setting out our position

From: Geoffrey North, Shakespeare Road, Guiseley.

I FEEL Bernie Rideau’s letter (The Yorkshire Post, March 5) needs a response. First Priti Patel may be a Brexiteer but she is not in the Brexit team.

I agree the current Brexit team is putting up a strong position but this is normal at the beginning of negotiations.

When Theresa May was Prime Minister the EU team knew she had a very weak position owing to her inability to command strong support in Parliament.

And they exploited it. They were the ones doing the bullying.

Now, at the beginning of fresh negotiations, they are again putting out their own strong demands, for example, by insisting that the British government conforms to EU regulations and allows their fishermen access to our waters.

However you expect this in negotiating. Fortunately our government is in a far stronger position this time round.

We are not bullying the EU but setting out our own opening position.

From: A W Clarke, Martin Close, Louth.

I’M afraid I do not agree with your correspondent Tony Armitage regarding the current row over Priti Patel in that he believes that Sir Philip Rutman’s resignation, as the senior civil servant at the Home Office, was a mistake.

Has it occurred to Mr Armitage that it may be the head of the Home Office fell on his sword because that was the only way to get the Government to accept the complaint about the

Minister’s alleged behaviour? After all, it is now becoming clear there have been other times when the Minister has been accused of bullying behaviour.

According to reports and court papers, a lady in another of the departments headed by Ms Patel was paid £25,000 to go some time ago.

If this is how governments are inclined to handle these complaints, it is not surprising that extreme measures might seem necessary.

Clearly the problem needs to be resolved, but I am sure all the complaints need thorough and open investigation.

From: Barry Foster, High Stakesby, Whitby.

I CANNOT fully understand all the allegations leveled at Priti Patel (The Yorkshire Post, March 5) and your Editorial. Most of them are historical.

Sir Philip Rutnam has left of his own free will and compensation should not be considered. Perhaps this is what it is all about – money.