Tony Blair is a shamed politician who should stay out of the Brexit debate

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Former Prime Minister Tony Blair during his speech on Brexit (PA)

Whatever the merits of Tony Blair's argument, does he really expect Remainers to unite around the most damaged politician for a generation?

His friends and enemies have all counselled him to stay clear of this, and some believe that his pro-Europe pronouncements during the referendum actually won it for the Leavers. We have enough narcissism from the “fine-tuned machine” across the pond to be wary of it surfacing here from ex-leaders who don't know their sell-by date.

Stefan Wickam
Surrey

The futility of the Brexit vote and the desperation of Eurosceptics becomes more apparent by the day. Yet, as is the case in these situations, the brink has to be reached before “those who will not see” have no other option but to open their eyes.

We are bombarded daily by bad news and gloomy prospects, and now the shamed Tony Blair is back in the frame. Worryingly, I find myself for the very first time agreeing with him, at least on this issue. I was no great fan of the EU – like so much of human endeavour, it is flawed. But I can see clearly the advantages of its existence, and the sheer folly of leaving its influence and possibly causing its downfall.

I am not a “Remoaner”, I am a realist. I genuinely fear for the future of humanity.

Steve Edmondson
Cambridge

Actually Tony Blair, I did “rise up for what I believe in”, along with millions of others. You disregarded us and turned Iraq into an abattoir.

The world has heard more than enough from Blair. The next time he speaks should be from the dock in The Hague answering war crime charges.

Sasha Simic
London N16

I cannot for the life of me understand why politicians and other discussion groups in the UK continue to undermine the position of Prime Minister May's forthcoming discussions with the EU whilst she tries to get a favourable result for the UK.

A lot of the talk by these irresponsible people is about the future of EU nationals working in the UK. The Prime Minister is, quite sensibly, first and foremost trying to get a guarantee on the future of the two million or so Brits living and working in the EU. It would be irresponsible of the Prime Minister to do otherwise.

In view of the fact that the NHS would find it very difficult to function without the work of EU nationals, I cannot imagine that Britain would ask them to leave. A disunited UK is what the hawks in the EU, so please stop making it easy for them.

John Fair
County Mayo, Ireland

The humanitarian side to security issues

Bono is right to emphasise the inextricable link between security and sustainable development at the upcoming G20 summit and Security Conference.

The sheer magnitude of the humanitarian crisis of unresolved wars, conflicts, refuge and abandonment has opened up a realm of social solidarity. Refugees are fleeing political fragility, social unrest, cultural and religious persecution, broken health systems, grinding poverty and febrile violence. They are crossing international boundaries in the search for safety.

Women and children constitute over half of refugees, and are at higher risk of sexual and gender based violence, labour exploitation, “honour” killings, forced marriages, malnutrition, socioeconomic vulnerabilities and multiple risk behaviours for communicable and non-communicable diseases throughout their arduous journeys towards human security.

Health is a human right. It is intertwined with social justice, sustainable development, economic prosperity, social integration and gender egalitarianism. We cannot advance until we give women their righteous status in society and bestow upon them equal status in respect of religious and ethical rights.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob
London NW2

Using art to rehabilitate prisoners

While I fully support the Justice Secretary Liz Truss’s call to reduce prison populations by reforming offenders, there are still too many nonviolent offenders, particularly women, in prison who could be rehabilitated more effectively through community sentences.

The severity of the current situation in prisons warrants immediate and significant action to reduce prison numbers. However, a focus on prisoners’ needs and appropriate rehabilitation is of course very welcome, particularly at a time when prison suicide rates and mental health issues are at a record high.

I urge the Secretary of State for Justice, when considering interventions, to tackle these needs, to be alert to the impact of the arts in engaging prisoners in purposeful and rehabilitative activity. In recent years, I have seen significant funding cuts to the availability of the arts in the criminal justice system, despite witnessing firsthand the results that can be achieved through arts-based programmes.

Arts initiatives help individuals to learn to foster their emotions in a safe way and provide an outlet for any negative feelings. This positive regulation of emotions has been linked to increased well-being and decreases in anger and aggression, and when you consider the impact that the mental health and well-being of prisoners has on their risk of offending and re-offending, it’s crucial we tackle this head on. In engaging prisoners in arts activities, I have seen time-after-time how this can help prisoners move towards a crime free future.

We must ensure prisoners have access to the support and help required to facilitate rehabilitation, and the arts is a powerful tool to help us achieve this.

Dr Laura Caulfield
Bath

Trump's advisers are distancing themselves from the President

As the Donald Trump flying circus continues, I hear that Robert Harward has declined the position of national security adviser, following the rapid demise of Michael Flynn. Then I go on to read that the US envoy to the UN, Nikki Haley, flatly contradicts the President on America’s approach to the Israel-Palestine situation; and the Defence Secretary, James Mattis, treads a very different line to his boss on Russia.

I think what we are seeing here are members of the Trump team starting to look at their own legacy. How will history judge the 45th President of the United States? And, more importantly, how will history judge those around him?

As the reality of what the US has voted for starts to sink in, I expect more and more of the GOP to distance themselves from their elected President. Unfortunately, to many in the wider electorate in America it will seem that Mr. Trump was correct in his campaigning stance, and that his rages against the Washington clique and “the swamp” were spot on. Expect more polarisation in the US, and then I know not what. Truly, we live in interesting times.

David Hill
​Essex