Labour needs to see the light if they want to win

I was greatly heartened to read what Michel Barnier and Gina Miller wrote recently for The Independent, about the UK’s future relationship with the EU.

We are now, hopefully, rid of the egregious Boris Johnson, the main architect of the Brexit disaster. Unfortunately, the Labour Party seems not yet to have seen the light and realised that rejoining is not only growing in desirability for most of the electorate but is also quite likely to be a possibility.

I expect to be marching, yet again, in support of a close relationship between the UK and the EU, and hope that in the future our politicians will have the sense to listen.

Susan Alexander

South Gloucestershire

All prime ministers want to go down in history having left a legacy. And, the Tories – the self-styled “natural party of government” – have certainly provided recent PMs whose legacies will be noted by historians as having driven the final nails into the coffin of British hegemony.

Margaret Thatcher seriously dented the country’s social fabric; forcing de-industrialisation, and thereby ensuring the development of the North-South divide. David Cameron allowed a referendum without a super-majority that led to Brexit, the country’s disunity, and our long-term fall from economic prosperity. Johnson destroyed trust in the government and sanctioned lying as a means of avoiding scrutiny.

Liz Truss – mercifully, inflicted on us only briefly – exacerbated the country’s economic woes and left home ownership (a Tory battle cry) more expensive than many can afford. Rishi Sunak is yet to reveal his full identity and thankfully his run may be cut short by a general election.

Ian Reid

Kilnwick

Eleanor Monbiot is right that we should be a voice for those who were displaced and bring light to those in darkness. Many refugees had lived in the dark shadow of destitution, dehumanisation, degradation, demoralisation, destruction, danger, diseases, deportation, displacement, desperation, and death.

However, we should not always taint refugees with the brush of mental illnesses. Their perseverance in the face of adversity remains a source of inspiration for all. They represent the best of the human spirit. They deserve moral and ethical solidarity, not closed borders and pushbacks.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob

London

So, Rishi Sunak has asked the electorate to “hold their nerve” as interest rates rise yet again.

How are people expected to “hold their nerve” when the cost of their mortgage is rising along with the cost of living and everything else thanks to Tory incompetence?

Maybe if Conservative Party members held their nerve instead of electing Liz Truss things might just have got a bit better?

Truss and her kamikaze budget lay at the heart of this mess along with David Cameron and George Osborne for failing to fix the roof when the sun was shining down.

While the Tories no doubt will be knocking back champagne at Lord’s this week like the rest of the richest one per cent, we poor members of the 99 per cent remain stuck trying to make financial mends even meet.

Geoffrey Brooking

Hampshire

Your article on the Sheffield Tree Massacre raises a very contemporary point – especially in light of the startling similar destruction of trees in Plymouth recently.

The arrogance of the councils and craven acquiescence of the police in supporting the destruction is chilling.

When will these bodies accept that they – like our equally overweening government – are elected or appointed to serve and not dominate the people of the country – who pay their inflated salaries.

Mike Margetts

Kilsby