What a fate!
As time passes, one thing becomes clear; the country
is being very poorly served by its politicians of every class. The Conservatives are split; Labour is split; the SNP is split; Ukip is split – and all because of Brexit.
Theresa May is someone I would drop at the starting gate in any negotiations as she is obdurate and inflexible. She does not take advice and she believes that she can compromise in a binary face-off. It is patently obvious that you cannot. The outcome is a meaningless fudge that is worse than staying put; an amazing achievement!
Despite there being no Leave campaign in Scotland, over a million voted to leave the EU. That is impressive when we had the apocalyptic predictions of George Osborne of the end of all things if we voted Leave, only to find that everything kept on improving.
The SNP shape-shifters opted for Remain, just as they did a handbrake turn on Nato membership, hoping to convince No voters that they actually had more than one policy. However, the EU farrago has shown everyone what breakup of the UK would entail; Brexit on acid.
The UK has been betrayed and Brino (Brexit in Name Only) will be dressed up as the result we voted for. Even dyed-in-the-wool Remainers would agree that being given what we actually voted for and leaving the EU would be better than the Purgatory we will, in fact, be consigned to with no say and no freedom of choice. What a fate for a once-proud nation.
ANDREW HN GRAY
Craiglea Drive, Edinburgh
Many have pointed out the hard lessons we have learned about referendums. They do not necessarily resolve issues, but instead can over simplify and exaggerate our differences, reinforcing divisions. Yet, many are still happy to put great faith in just one more being the answer to all their prayers (“Sturgeon vows to update on indyref amid clamour for quickfire vote”, 12 April).
A second EU referendum, is
rebranded a “People’s Vote”, to make it sound less like a rerun. Indyref2, is how the SNP’S second attempt to convince Scotland to separate from the UK is now commonly known. Both, of course, have strong and vocal groundswells of support. But those whose voices are drowned out amidst all the noise of agitation might yet vote to confirm the previous results.
Politicians arguing for referendum reruns should be
careful what they wish for, as on these current issues a marginal outcome in either direction is a likely outcome, leaving public opinion polarised, with close to half of us more dissatisfied than ever.
KEITH HOWELL
West Linton, Peeblesshire
Your interesting article “Varadkar boosts talks on a Customs Union” (11 April) rightly points to Labour’s wisdom in keeping the CU on the table.
The wailing Brexiteers claim It will stop us doing new trade deals – but who do they look to for a deal but the Neoliberal USA (ideologically buddies but economically our natural enemies due to the grasping greed of the Trump administration). In reality the EU already has the best deals.
Labour has left the Tories to self-destruct by taking the reasonable view that people can’t trust the Neoliberals with workers’ rights or our health service. Interestingly, Labour Leave voters accept this argument against a Tory Bexit.
That is why Jeremy Corbyn was right to focus on unfair allocation of money to councils this week. We know the Tories have been cruel to the poorest with their Universal Credit and Benefits System. Their attitude to the poor convinces many that they can’t be trusted with workers’ rights – and so the government’s vague EU deal does not suit.
Labour’s policy of playing for time may also leave the Brexiteers with egg on their faces. This is because the 200 Conservative MPS who prefer to vote with Theresa May than with the Brexiteers help the opposition make a point. Now Tories such as Philip Hammond can’t deny the implications of the party’s disunity. The willingness to destroy their party shows they actually prefer Corbyn to Johnson. My thought for Easter – in the Tory party the cracks are now giving us the smell of aging eggs
ANDREW VASS
Corbiehill Place, Edinburgh