Petty revenge

CAROL PREININGER worries that, post-Brexit, she might need a visa to return to Germany (Letters). If she does, it will be entirely owing to EU petulance.

There are just 27 other nations in the EU, but British citizens have visa-free access to 173 countries worldwide. If those other nations see no need for them, then I assume the only reason for the EU to bring in visas would be one of petty revenge.

I voted Leave but, like Ms Preininger, have family ties with Germany. I speak three European languages, can read four and love Italy.

I have faith in the UK government’s philosophical position that all EU nationals legitimately in Britain under current arrangements will be allowed to stay.

That we have not yet been able to make this a formal declaration is down to a sulky EU seeking to use our citizens as bargaining chips for other areas of negotiation.

That they are punishing their own citizens — like a vindictive parent using their children as pawns in a bitter divorce — is clearly of little importance to them.

VICTOR LAUNERT, Matlock Bath, Derbys. OUR Brexit demands should be: Germany subsidises our farmers for the next 30 years; France closes all its vineyards and imports only wine from Australia; Spain provides free holidays for the British people; and the rest of Europe can buy only British goods.

When Juncker and Merkel say: ‘You must be joking!’ we can reply: ‘Well, you started it.’

J. K. AND R. GRICE, Wrexham.