It’s time to leave the word ‘Brexit’ behind and hold the government accountable for what it delivers now

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

Andrew Grice’s article on how Boris Johnson might approach the next election overlooks the significant danger that nothing will change and just like the last four and a half years Brexit will continue to dominate our national life, dividing us and stultifying debate and preventing progress within this country.

Back in July 2018 you published a letter of mine around who was to blame for the then Brexit situation and I feel my final paragraph remains relevant unless we actively choose a different course.

“Even after we leave the EU ... the question will remain unresolved dividing the nation. The UK will be like Ireland after the civil war: divided for generations over what should have happened back at the peace conference in 1921. And, like Ireland only when those who lived through it are dead will the country be able to move forward.”

If we want to avoid repeating history then we must put Brexit behind us and refuse to fight yesterday’s battles again even if Johnson sees a rematch as his best route to victory.  

I’m not suggesting that Johnson should be given a clear path. He should be challenged on what he’s done and is doing now on the economy, the pandemic, equality, feeding children – the list is endless – but we should not allow ourselves to be mired in the past his incompetence.

Outlaw the “B” word, concentrate on what the government promises and what it actually delivers and work to get a government committed to the many not the few by concentrating on the here and now.

John Simpson

Ross-on-Wye

Labour issues

While there are times when journalistic shorthand is unavoidable, I strongly object to your assertion about the Brexit deal that “Labour immediately threw their weight behind the government and said they would support it”.

The Labour leadership may have done so but a large majority of the party’s members believe that this is a terrible deal and would like to see our MPs defy the party whip, for the good of both country and party.

Phil Whitney

Cromford

It must have given great comfort to our bumbling PM to have had Keir Starmer’s pledge to whip his party into voting for the “deal” even before it was struck or details published.

Just what a chap needs in times of adversity!

Eddie Dougall

Bury St Edmunds

EU attachment

Among much of the nonsense our PM spouted in the wake of the “deal” was the declaration that the UK would remain “culturally, emotionally, historically, strategically and geologically attached to Europe”. The man simply loves the sound of his own voice.

As a Remainer I am completely culturally and emotionally attached to Europe. I do not accept that Brexiteers are, let alone wish to remain so. Then, how can we not remain “historically” attached? History is done. Strategically? I doubt it, though I very much hope so. But geologically? Goodness! I’d no idea that was up for grabs. How much has that weirdly unbelievable initiative cost us? We really should be told.

Beryl Wall

London

Slogans run and run

Boris Johnson promised us an oven ready EU deal.  How appropriate that he finally came with a turkey at Christmas.

David Barker

Surbiton

A golden age? Wrong – more moonshot pyrite in the sky!

Vincent Ryan

Address supplied