Sir, – Theresa May finally appeared to have succeeded in putting a square peg in a round hole by forcing her cabinet at the end of last week to agree a collective position on the future of Brexit negotiations.
However, the weight of the more reasonable negotiating position that the UK premier imposed last Friday at Chequers was clearly too much to bear for David Davis and Boris Johnson.
It has never bothered the Brexiteers that a hard Brexit would necessarily involve the British government reneging on the UK’s international treaty obligations under the Belfast Agreement.
In particular, Boris Johnson sees Ireland as little more than an insignificant appendage to Britain. Hence his disgraceful recent comment that the focus on the Irish border issue in the UK’s negotiations with the EU was “allowing the tail to wag the dog”.
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The departure of the former foreign secretary, especially, will not be regretted by Ireland. – Yours, etc,
JOE McCARTHY,
Arbour Hill,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – Jacob Rees-Mogg, Boris Johnson, et al. Is Brexit the ultimate Eton mess? – Yours, etc,
MARTIN CONRY,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – Well done to Boris Johnson and David Davis for quitting rather than betraying the will of the overall electorate who took part in their referendum. Not for the British to ask for a “second go” to “get it right”. The UK is a real democracy which respects its people, including those in Northern Ireland, and which voted as part of the whole. – Yours, etc,
ROBERT SULLIVAN,
Bantry,
Co Cork.
Sir, – Some Brexit coundrums. Dissenting ministers decide to defect: the uncertainty unleashed undermines already unsteady Tories. Overall the desertions are not that disappointing: the whole thing is unbelievable, but at the same time not that unexpected. Dreams unravel as destiny unfolds. – Yours, etc,
COLIN WALSH,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – If, as Boris Johnson suggests, Britain is reduced to the status of a colony after Brexit, would that make Northern Ireland a colony of a colony? – Yours, etc,
BRIAN AHERN,
Clonsilla,
Dublin 15.
Sir, – Isn’t it extraordinary that key UK government ministers voluntarily agree to a plan on a Friday and resign in protest at the plan two or three days later?
Wouldn’t it have been much simpler and more honourable to have resigned on the Friday? – Yours, etc,
MIKE FORDE,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.