Rejoin the customs union – it’s the only way out of this

Boris Johnson can huff and puff as much as he likes for the benefit of his unionist audience, but none of that will change the Northern Ireland protocol which he knowingly signed up to. It has to be presumed that he understood what he was signing, in the same way that it has to be presumed that the DUP and their allies also understood that Brexit in the form being pursued was always incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement.

It would be so refreshing to hear someone in authority admit that either they didn’t understand the full implications of Brexit, or that maybe it has not turned out to be the best move, rather than continually seeking to put the blame for their own failings on someone else. Ultimately the only real solution to the dissatisfaction brought by the requirements of the protocol is for the whole of the UK to rejoin the customs union, but I don’t expect anyone to be brave enough to propose that any time soon.

Charles Wood Birmingham

When pushed on his “oven-ready” Brexit deal, Boris Johnson said that he had meant the withdrawal agreement, and not the political declaration and subsequent trade deal. Now he is disowning that agreement and threatening to override it. Was it his agreement or wasn’t it? Did he understand it when he signed it and then pushed it through parliament, or not? He misdirects just as much as Donald Trump, if more eloquently and sometimes in Latin.

Rachael Padman Newmarket

Household mixing

You report that household mixing rules may be eased next month. Oh dear! Yet again, it seems that rules are going to be eased too early. The pattern is never-ending! Even with the wonderful work of the vaccines (and on vaccines alone I am pleased with government performance), cases are going to start rising again next month if schools start to reopen and household mixing is permitted. In short, reopening schools and allowing household mixing in as little as a month is a truly terrible idea. We should be protecting lives at all costs!

Sebastian Monblat Sutton, London

Starmer doubts

Labour leader Keir Starmer needs to apologise for some of his rash and ill-considered outbursts over the last

few months – including his criticism of England not having a fire-break like Wales. Possibly his advisors should be sacked but either way he needs to apologise for stirring up doubt that’s not needed at this time! He looked initially as though he was the man to sort out Labour, now I’m not so certain.

Ian Morris Romsey, Hampshire

Home help

Five Premier League results on Wednesday night, all away wins. Home support vital!

Mike Bor London

Statue upgrade

There have been many calls for a statue to be erected in memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore. While this is a great idea, perhaps an even better one would be to build a structure in memory of all those who have lost their lives in this pandemic, topped with a statue of Captain Tom, as their flag bearer. I did not have the privilege of meeting the man but I suspect he would be very proud of that.

Bernard Cudd Address supplied