By ruling out a no-deal Brexit, Hammond throws away Britain’s most powerful bargaining tool

SIR – The actions of Philip Hammond, who has assured his big-business buddies that there won’t be a no-deal Brexit (report, January 17), are proof positive that Theresa May’s Government is controlled by a cabal of Remainers who are blatantly ignoring the wishes of the British public.

Their actions once again hand all the negotiating aces to the EU, which now has confirmation that it does not need to offer any new concessions over Brexit.

The incompetence of this Government is staggering.

Alan Moss

Cheadle, Cheshire

SIR – The Government is more interested in listening to business than to the electorate.

The majority of voters wanted to leave the EU, and all that entails. Almost everyone knew it would be disruptive, but still they voted for Brexit. Sovereignty is the most important issue.

Brian Birch

Sittingbourne, Kent

SIR – If the referendum result is to be respected, the EU cannot give us a good deal and we cannot accept a bad deal, what is the alternative to a no-deal Brexit?

Tim Jaggs

Maple Bay, British Columbia, Canada

SIR – Keeping on Mr Hammond is proof enough that Mrs May never had any intention of letting Brexit happen.

Charlotte Joseph

Lawford, Essex

SIR – Philip Johnston (Comment, January 16) is right: Mrs May should resign.

There will be Brexit paralysis for as long as she remains Prime Minister. A new leader could go back to Brussels and negotiate a super-canada deal quite quickly. If this were rejected by Parliament, he or she could call a general election.

Such a deal would be popular with the electorate, so there would be a good chance of a Conservative working majority to see it through.

David Ashford

Bristol

SIR – Tuesday’s rebellion by 118 Tory MPS was not “the biggest on record”.

On February 28 1846, Benjamin Disraeli’s fierce defence of agricultural protection and his vicious jibes at his party leader led 231 Tories to vote against Sir Robert Peel’s Corn Laws Bill. An observer wrote that Disraeli “hacked and mangled Peel with unsparing severity, and positively tortured his victim”.

Lord Lexden

London SW1

SIR – Mrs May told Jeremy Corbyn that her “door remains open”.

If that door, and her mind, had been open over the past two years, we would not be in this predicament.

Simon Mcilroy

Croydon, Surrey

SIR – Why is it that Mr Corbyn has, in the past, been happy to talk to terrorists, but he refuses to engage with Mrs May over Brexit?

Mark Pascoe

Porthleven, Cornwall

SIR – Military officers are schooled throughout their careers to review the orders they receive; to understand not just what they are instructed to do, but why they have been told to do it.

They review their orders against a consistent question set, the last of which, question four, is: “Has the situation changed?” Answering this honestly prevents attacking the hill where the enemy no longer are, or, more pertinently, stops the charge that suddenly finds itself heading for the unexpected cliff edge.

It is the duty of all parties in Parliament to act in the interests of the country. No deal is not an option, and with the EU’S best deal rejected, revocation of Article 50 offers the boldest, but quickest, route to begin the process of national reconciliation.

James Dove-dixon

London SW15

SIR – When the definitive history of Brexit is written, it will conclude that the single most important event was Michael Gove’s stabbing in the back of Boris Johnson, which resulted in the wrong person becoming Tory leader.

The party should have chosen someone who was more likely to have got us over the line by now.

Mike Hall

Reading, Berkshire

SIR – I have no patience with people who criticise David Cameron for calling the referendum (Letters, January 17).

Yes, it has turned out very complicated and messy, but that is down to various factors, notably the disconnect between Parliament and voters (as evidenced by the arrogance of people such as Dominic Grieve) and the incompetent way in which the Government conducted negotiations.

However, for decades politicians of all parties had conspired to prevent voters from expressing any meaningful opinions on our EU membership, and Mr Cameron was right to see that this could not, or at least should not, continue.

Roger White

Sherborne, Dorset

SIR – I’d like to thank Tony Blair for appearing on the Today programme yesterday morning. As a Brexiteer, I had been feeling despondent – but his performance galvanised me to carry on the good fight.

Robin Harker

Amersham, Buckinghamshire