Brexit reversal and the general election

Most of our young people voted to Remain; it is they who will pay the long-term price of Brexit. Where are the political leaders, the statesmen and women, who will have the wisdom and the courage to say not, “We have taken a decision; let’s get on with it, for better or worse”, but “We are on the verge of making a dire historic mistake; let’s put it right before it’s too late”?
Robert Armstrong
House of Lords

Sir, Matthew Parris’s piece reveals, at least in part, why voters are disillusioned with politics and politicians. As he says, about 490 MPs backed Remain and only 158 backed Leave, while the electorate was split 52 per cent to 48 per cent the other way — hardly a ringing endorsement of representative democracy.
David Watson
Waterlooville, Hants

Sir, Matthew Parris is correct to assert that Remainers should not accept that the argument that the UK should stay in the EU is lost.

Is the EU a corrupt, inefficient, sclerotic, bureaucratic, arrogant panjandrum? Undoubtedly. Has it succeeded in keeping the major European nations at peace for over 70 years, brought stability and prosperity to its members, fostered democracy in the former Warsaw Pact countries and partially checked Russian expansion? Absolutely.

It needs reform to restrict economic migration, restore border integrity and curb foolish ambitions for greater federalism. But who is best placed to lead the push for these reforms other than the UK?

The solution is for the government to table an alternative proposal, whereby in return for an EU commitment to implement the reforms we require within a five-year timescale, we would hold a second referendum on membership.
Anthony H Ratcliffe
London W1K

Sir, The prime minister’s contribution on Brexit has done little to raise the quality of the debate above the banal. Grand aspirational statements address none of the crucial issues. She makes much of achieving a “successful Brexit” without telling us what that might look like.

For a retired scientist such as myself who was funded by and took part in several European projects, Brexit will always be a failure. I saw at first hand that being part of the European project enabled us to bring together the best scientists from around Europe and take on transnational problems that would yield direct benefits to society.
Professor Barry Sharp
Loughborough, Leics

Sir, Matthew Parris should not be surprised at Mrs May’s conduct of the election. If you hire Australians — as in Sir Lynton Crosby — you get sledging.
Jon Rayman
London W24

THE WORLD VIEW
Sir, Today marks the 70th anniversary of the speech made at Harvard University by US Secretary of State George Marshall. In its profundity, humanity and clarity, it surely ranks as one of the world’s greatest diplomatic texts. It gave rise to the European Recovery Programme, an illustration without precedent of co-operative European endeavour, made possible by far-sighted US — and Canadian — generosity.

I hope the text of General Marshall’s speech will be readily available when the G20 leaders gather next month under German chairmanship, and in the warmth of German hospitality, in the famously outward-looking city of Hamburg. I hope likewise that appropriate attention will be given to the Berlin Declaration, issued jointly by the European Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission on March 25, 2007, the 50th anniversary of the signature of the Treaty of Rome. It can be said to record an extraordinary and vastly reassuring fulfilment of the aspirations of the European Recovery Programme.

The parameters of international involvement have become more complex but they have not fundamentally changed. We should be neither surprised nor concerned if, from time to time, expression of democratic opinion by ballot box occasions changes in the style of collective management of that involvement.
Sir Peter Marshall
London W8

MPS’ MORAL VISION
Sir, We should certainly expect our politicians to have a moral vision (“Don’t let MPs fob you off by saying they ‘don’t do morality’”, Register, Faith, June 3). This does not mean that they are to engage in moral grandstanding, but rather that they have a desire to improve society, and a road map of how to get there.

The American preacher, William Sloane Coffin, at the time of the Vietnam War, told Henry Kissinger: “Sir, my job is to say to you, ‘let justice roll down like mighty waters.’ Your job is to get the plumbing in place.”

We need politicians with a sense of moral mission, who want to affect change for the right reasons, not just technocrats who can pull the levers of Whitehall machinery.
Zaki Cooper
Council of Christians and Jews
London NW9

SUPPORTING PREVENT
Sir, Nazir Afzal is to be congratulated for the clarity with which he defends Prevent, Britain’s world-leading counter-radicalisation strategy (“Muslims are offered a cause to die for … I’d give them something to live for”, Saturday Interview, June 3).

Afzal is right to highlight that much of the controversy around the strategy is the result of a concerted campaign by a small but vocal fringe that wrongly characterises Prevent as an attack on Muslims. Exaggerated stories of Prevent referrals — standard safeguarding procedures — have been peddled by some of the groups Afzal identified and are often reported uncritically by elements within the British media.

Widespread claims that the strategy marginalises communities, however, are belied by Policy Exchange research showing that British Muslim communities are in fact generally supportive of government intervention to tackle extremism.

Amber Rudd’s stated intention to strengthen Prevent should be supported by all those who are serious in their desire to challenge extremism of all kinds within our society.
Hannah Stuart
Co-Head of Security and Extremism, Policy Exchange

TRUMP ON CLIMATE
Sir, In withdrawing from the Paris climate change accord President Trump is redeeming a campaign promise he made to his electorate. Surely this triumph of the democratic ideal is an occasion for celebration.
Professor Geoffrey Alderman
University of Buckingham

Sir, Climate change may or may not be caused by human activity but I wonder if, instead of trying to reverse it, we should accept the situation and move on. Undoubtedly, there will be profound changes. Ocean levels will rise, island nations may be inundated, major seats of government and finance may need to relocate.

On the other hand, deserts may bloom, arid land become productive and fresh water become more available. Trump has exposed the Paris accord as a political consensus to preserve the status quo. We should embrace science, technology and ingenuity to shape our future.
Kevin Lowe
Portadown, Co Armagh

MYTHS RECYCLED
Sir, Sheila Taylor perpetuates the myth that cyclists don’t belong on the road (“Two-wheel trouble”, Letters, June 3). The police have “no way of enforcing the use of cycle tracks” because no such law exists.

The reason cyclists avoid some cycle lanes is that they are often poorly designed and maintained. Many run parallel to parked cars, meaning that a careless driver opening a door without looking can cause serious injury. Experienced cyclists ride a car’s door-width away from this danger and do not appreciate drivers berating them for doing this.

As a driver and a cyclist I respect the rules and have no problem with cyclists who jump red lights being fined, but research shows that a higher proportion of cars jump red lights than cyclists.

So let’s not turn this into cyclists vs drivers. It is about safe and respectful road use vs dangerous behaviour that can kill. We should all remember that when driving or cycling.
Michael Brunskill
Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

SHIFTING VENICE
Sir, You report the problems occasioned by increased tourism to Italy and the proposals for turnstiles in St Mark’s Square, Venice, for the management of crowds (News, June 1). Some years ago, John Julius Norwich suggested that Venice might be reconstructed on the mainland. True aficionados could continue to travel to the city and imbue the perfume of the canals and the crumbling ambience, while the tourists might experience the architectural splendour without the discomforts. Time for a review?
G Franco
London, WC2A

LINGUISTIC TRAVELS
Sir, Matthew Parris, in Anglesey, “found it almost dreamlike to knock on a British front door and be answered by someone looking totally British, dressed British, house decorated and furnished British, but in a tongue strange to me” (“Overcoming the language barrier”, News, June 3) . Many years ago, my father wrote that “the Welsh language is the most British thing in Britain: spoken from the Firth of Clyde (Clwyd), through Cumbria (Cymru) to Dover (dwfr, water), before the English came in, and taken over the Channel to Brittany by emigrants”.
Professor Goronwy Tudor Jones
Abersoch, Gwynedd

IRONY IN ITALICS
Sir, Oliver Kamm suggests using emojis to indicate where a comment has been meant in jest or with irony (“No need to emote so much about emojis,” Register, June 3). The notorious British politician and journalist, Tom Driberg, proposed a new typeface, based on italics with the slope reversed, to be called “ironics”, for just this purpose.

As Bernard Levin remarked: “There is no joke so obvious that some bloody fool won’t miss the point.”
Dr John Doherty
Gaoth Dobhair,
Co Dhún na nGall, Ireland