The end of the Brexit negotiations mean we can all come together again – I hope

As an unreconstructed Remainer, I am, nevertheless, pleased that we are not to have the "hard" Brexit that has seemed at times a possibility in the protracted negotiations of recent years.

However, not many on my side of the argument will want to rejoice.  The end of the Erasmus scheme and the exacerbating of tensions between Westminster and Scotland are all unfortunate by-products of the frenzied arguments we have been having.

Covid-19 has shown that the nations of the world need to hang together, lest they hang separately. Hoping perhaps against hope I trust that we can prevent the tide of "little England" nationalism, which Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage have helped create, turning into a tsunami of isolationism.

The Rev Andrew McLuskey

Ashford

Boris Johnson and the UK government have achieved a deal with the EU. Hurray for that. He has defeated his critics saying that he would be not able to achieve one.

Nicola Sturgeon has criticised him for not achieving a good fishing deal. I can only surmise that one of the main reasons for the delay was to ensure Britain received the best deal for our waters.

Can the SNP not acknowledge when a good deal has been achieved? Now we have control of our own affairs. Britain was only in the EU for 47 years, which is no time at all, all things considered. What is wrong with moving on to reclaim what we gave away?

Valerie Stewart

Calderwood

Ben Chu writes about the imported food that the UK has become increasingly reliant upon.

It is indeed true that we produce a small portion of what we once did. We had some of the best orchards in Europe until growers were forced by cheaper, frequently tasteless (in my view) imports, to grub them up in favour of selling the land for insatiable housing development.

There is still hope. If prices rise as a result of Brexit, fruit might again become a crop worth growing, and we might once again be able to enjoy some of the most tasty apple varieties known to us.

Steve Edmondson

Cambridge

In my university career I have seen, at first hand, not only the direct benefits of my own students going into Europe but the benefits from European students joining courses here.

The interaction between students of different nationalities, all showing their pride in their nation’s sovereignty, resulted in them learning so much from each other. In particular, how much better cooperation is than isolationism.

All of this was glibly cast aside by Boris Johnson saying that this unmeasurable benefit was too expensive, while smirking at his “success” which only he measures in terms of his own ego.

Compared to the genuine statesmanship of the Europeans, Johnson is an embarrassment to this country.

I am filled with sadness that so much has been stolen from so many by so few.

Dr Robert Murray

Nottingham

So after four years a deal appears to have been agreed at the 11th hour. On the face of it it seems that a future ex-member of the EU club has managed to keep some of the advantages without paying the fees. Strange.

But allowing for the time required to finalise all the different aspects of trade etc, the big losers are the British and European people whose lives will become far more complicated.

Thank you, Boris Johnson. Wishing you a happier New Year.

Peter Fieldman

Madrid

I was listening to the Band Aid Christmas song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which, more than 35 years ago, gave this country the ambition to fight world hunger.

This year we have people campaigning to feed our own children.

How we have shrunk as a nation.

Ashley Herbert

Huddersfield