Sir, – With regard to the final decision-making on Brexit, I would take Ray Kinsella’s case (November 26th) for parliament taking priority over people more seriously if I believed that all parliamentarians were reflecting accurately the opinions of their electorates and not grandstanding in the interests of another agenda.
In the case of Dominic Raab, approximately 60 per cent of his constituents voted Remain. – Yours, etc,
DENIS BERGIN,
Tavira,
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Portugal.
Sir, – Matthew d'Ancona says Theresa May is "unlikely, given her recent pattern of behaviour" to resign if her Brexit deal is defeated ("May's Brexit deal is already doomed", Opinion & Analysis, November 26th).
However, she repeatedly refused to rule out quitting in a BBC radio interview last week, so maybe her resignation is a less unlikely outcome now than it was before.
If Mrs May goes, a Tory Brexiteer will be the next prime minister.
There will then be an attempt at a no-deal Brexit which will, thankfully, be crushed by the House of Commons.
A general election will probably result, and a Labour government becomes a very real possibility. Jeremy Corbyn might be in 10 Downing Street sooner than anyone thinks. – Yours, etc,
JOE McCARTHY,
Arbour Hill,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – Richard Barrett (November 26th) misses the point of Fintan O’Toole’s criticism of Brexit. Many, perhaps a majority, of those who voted Remain would accept the point that the EU needs reform, albeit we would argue that reform is more likely to be achieved by staying inside the institution.
However, the basis of the Leave campaign was that the UK could do better outside the EU; it was not launched as an altruistic crusade on behalf of Greece.
As the proposed withdrawal deal with the EU has emerged, it is fairly clear that the UK’s position post-Brexit will compare unfavourably with the status quo; even Dominic Raab has said that staying in the EU would be better than this deal.
The basis of Fintan O’Toole’s criticisms throughout this process has been around the discrepancy between what the Leave campaign promised, and the emerging reality.
In that, he is surely correct, and his clear-sighted critique of the Brexit process has been a welcome antidote to the nonsense peddled by the majority of the UK press. – Yours, etc,
BILL REDMOND,
Edinburgh.
Sir, – Another week and another screed against those supporting the democratically expressed will of the majority of the British electorate to leave the EU ("The bad ship Brexit needs a skilful mutiny", Opinion & Analysis, November 27th). Your columnist Fintan O'Toole clearly knows old rope when he sees it and has a knack for monetising it. – Yours, etc,
PETER KELLY,
London.
Sir, – The idea that "No-deal Brexit could actually work for Ireland" (Opinion & Analysis, November 27th) is wrong for several reasons. The World Trade Organisation rule that the authors cite applies only "in time of war or other emergency in international relations". It has always been understood to apply only to products such as oil and goods with military uses, and not to discriminatory measures applying to all kinds of goods in situations unrelated to specific products.
The Irish border problem would arise if the legal and economic rules were different in the two parts of Ireland, and cannot be resolved by trying to do without customs posts. Even more fundamentally, even if the UK used the security argument, the EU (and Ireland) could not justify, on security grounds, complete freedom of importation in the other direction of all classes of goods into the EU though Northern Ireland.
The EU would never give an open door through Northern Ireland for an unlimited quantity of goods originating in the UK or in third countries. It would also be illegal under EU law for Ireland to make a trade agreement with the UK of the kind suggested. – Yours, etc,
JOHN TEMPLE LANG,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – Do you think it is now time for somebody to tell the DUP that special status for Northern Ireland within UK and the EU would copper-fasten their Union forever? – Yours, etc,
NIALL MURRAY,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – I knew Boris Johnson was to address the DUP congress in Belfast but when he once again proposed that a bridge be built between Northern Ireland and Scotland, I couldn’t get over it. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN CASSERLY,
Bishopstown,
Cork.
A chara, –If I understand Theresa May correctly, what she is suggesting is that the deal she has reached with the EU, which she is now asking the UK parliament to approve, essentially achieves for the UK the freedom to achieve freedom. Now where did we hear that before? The shoe appears well and truly now to be on the other foot. – Is mise,
E DILLON,
Farranshone,
Limerick.