When we consider the values of the EU, it's no surprise that they refuse to compromise on Brexit

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The EU is programmed to oppose nation states (EbS)

It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that Jean-Claude Juncker appears to leave no opportunity for compromise. Compromise is not easy but it is the price that has to be paid for survival. A possible way forward would be to accept that the UK will not join a federal Europe and to allow the UK to impose its own border controls whilst remaining in the EU – everyone happy.

However, the EU’s “one size fits all” outlook, which is a prerequisite for a federal Europe, makes such a compromise impossible.

It could be argued that the federalist conception of the EU has been there from the beginning. The federalist agenda is also seen in the EU’s loathing of state controlled nationalised industries (gas, water, electricity, railways, etc) since state ownership would boost the status of the nation state whereas the EU seeks to undermine the nation state in order to strengthen the drive towards a federal Europe.

Europe is too economically, socially, and culturally diverse to adopt the federal model, and to try and do so will build resentment and division. Europe works best as a co-operative network of nation states that treasures and respects differences rather than as an artificially created homogeneous “one size fits all” federal state. It is therefore a matter of regret that Britain is seen as a threat to the EU’s federalist ambitions and as a result a compromise built on a non-federalist but co-operative model has no possibility of success.

L J Atterbury
Poland

We are sleepwalking into a one party state

Having witnessed the subversion of our Parliamentary Democracy by the Conservatives and DUP following the recent votes in the House of Commons on Monday and Tuesday evenings, I can only lament that “There is something rotten in the state of Denmark” and “I am sick of heart”.

We have all sleep-walked into a one party state – how fragile are our political and social institutions. Daily we hear “News-speak” from the mouth of Conservatives be it on television or in the printed media. If the Opposition has been unable to hold this Government to account, how then can we, the ordinary person, do so?

Rachel McKenzie
London

The ‘record’ employment figures are a farce

It’s painful to listen to Theresa May crowing in Parliament about high employment figures.

Yesterday, a friend of mine was telling me about her son’s pal who is working as a pool attendant. No basic problem there. That is until you learn that he has a good degree in a science subject and did not get into £60k worth of debt to do this type of job. But he will feature in the “record” employment data that Theresa May is so pleased about.

Amanda Baker
Edinburgh

Overseas territories deserve representation in Parliament

The storm crises should put on the agenda a more modern inclusive relationship between the UK overseas territories and the United Kingdom. The UK should take a leaf out of France’s book.

The territories should be granted representation in the House of Commons. The upshot would be a a more globally statute Westminster – able to hear of perspectives and concerns directly from the horse’s mouth.

John Barstow
Address supplied

Let them eat profits

There is a well-known response that Jesus is reported to have said, namely that “man shall not live by bread alone”. Marie Antoinette more recently declared in response to catastrophic shortages of life’s staples in France: “let them eat cake!”

Living as we now do in arguably increasingly iniquitous times, we, the beleaguered proletariat, are left anticipating enjoying the collective fiscal benefit that a bigger slice of Apple’s turnover will bring.

Nigel Plevin
Somerset

Where has the magic money tree gone to?

The Government easily found £1bn for the support of the DUP but is not willing to find the £50m to fund the police pay rise, a mere one-twentieth of the amount. Is this because they have denuded the magic money tree and there is nothing left to fund the pay rise which has to come from the existing budget? The reduced police numbers that may result are part of the price we pay for keeping Theresa May in power.

Alan Pack
Canterbury