We are outsiders looking in when it comes to the Brexit negotiations

Theresa May states the UK will be keeping “bits” of our EU membership. I am stunned! Here we have a PM after six months since the referendum and all she can say is “bits”.

What a signal to send to the EU! What level of language is that?

I know that some readers of the tabloids may be content with that, but what is going through the mind of the (unelected) PM? It makes one cringe!

The fact of the matter is that we must formally leave the EU before any negotiations on a revised relationship can begin. If one only has to propose “bits”, then I would presume that the EU and the 27 members states will have no problem in its response.

They have the final word. All No 10 can do is listen. No veto left. We are on the outside, isolated looking in.

John Edgar
​Blackford

It strikes me that the only people who I have heard and continue to hear proclaiming that Brexiteers were lied to are Remainers.

If Brexiteers really did feel as though they were lied to, wouldn’t they be speaking out about this?

It seems to me yet another example of people trying to avoid and ignore the democratic vote.

Fletcher Ransberry
Kenilworth

Using tears as a weapons is a good and honest thing especially when it comes to saying goodbye for Michelle Obama at the White House.

But the White House is the people’s house. Even this country not only belongs to educators but it also belongs to all of us here in America.

For the Obamas the eight years they had served as First Lady and as President were decently good and honest ones amidst such difficult times.

Even in good times the Obamas were good to us as Americans and to the world over.

John Huerta
Arkansas

I’m not surprised that the Health Secretary has gone Awol following the Red Cross statements about the state of the NHS. Then we hear that's it’s NHS England that will respond. This Government, or more precisely the Conservatives, are experts at hiding from the truth. What comments has Chris Grayling made about the disaster on Southern Rail? “I want to ban strikes”! Very helpful. Then he disappears.

This Government has to realise that their actions have consequences and they should be defending these actions, not saying it’s nothing to do with me. I suppose we’ll have the usual trite comments from departments about how much money they have spent. At least they’ve stopped blaming Labour for everything, they got away with that for years.

Rod Hartley
Preston

So in the first of two recent BBC interviews Nicola Sturgeon tries to sound conciliatory, telling us indyref2 is off the immediate agenda if it’s a soft Brexit.

Then in the second, she reverts to type, repeatedly threatening another referendum.

She knows full well the EU, fearful of the UK setting a precedent to other European nations, will insist on a hard Brexit. And that’s regardless of what Theresa May or anyone else in the UK, including Sturgeon, may prefer.

Many of the SNP leader’s dyed-in-the-wool followers seem to have spent the weekend on social media in a state of high dudgeon. But they need not be confused by her conflicting messages. Sturgeon's “soft Brexit equals no indyref2” spiel is merely designed to appear reasonable to the majority in Scotland, increasingly alienated by her relentlessly divisive rhetoric. Her supporters must have faith in the nationalist leader. They should never forget: she’s a single-issue politician heading up a single-issue party.

Martin Redfern
Edinburgh