The future of Ireland shouldn't be determined by English politicians negotiating Brexit

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A truck passes a Brexit billboard in Jonesborough, Co Armagh, on the northern side of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (PA)

Nearly 100 years after the Anglo-Irish treaty resulted in partition, Britain is once again pursuing a policy that would restrict the free movement of people and goods on the island of Ireland.

Although the negative effects of Brexit on production and trade will be felt most in Britain, they will inevitably affect Ireland as well. It remains true today, as it was 100 years ago, that “when England sneezes, Ireland catches a cold”.

For economic reasons alone, it is imperative that Ireland and its EU partners insist that no “hard border” will be imposed between North and South.

More than trade and economic growth are at stake, however. The past 20 years have seen the effective end of sectarian violence, the establishment of more inclusive governing arrangements in Northern Ireland, and the growth of stronger social, cultural and personal ties between the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic. All of these achievements would be put at risk by the imposition of a hard border.

For 700 years, Ireland’s fate was determined in London. That state of affairs was supposedly ended forever in 1921. The Irish government must stand firmly for the principle that the future of Ireland will be determined in Ireland, and not in England.

Patrick Purcell

Maryland, US

Patrick Cockburn is right (“Having lived in Belfast during the Troubles, I’m worried about Brexit”, Saturday). But maybe the boot is on the Republic’s foot? All of Ireland has been a free trade zone with Great Britain for as long as anyone can remember.

Eire joined the EC because we did. Together we became part of a larger free trade area. Together we gained veto powers within the EU. Now we’re pulling out, the Republic is surely entitled to use its veto to get the best result for them (which includes a peaceful North since there were spillover effects on the South), and not be forced into something England and Wales want. We forced them in and helped them gain a renewed international presence. We can longer expect them to do our bidding.

David Carr

Bexleyheath

In failing to champion Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, this Government opposes British values

I’ve become increasingly concerned while reading about the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in The Independent.

If the British Government had jailed an Iranian citizen in this way, separating her from her young child, I am sure that the Iranian government would have been working behind the scenes and in public with the British Government to get that person released.

Boris has done nothing for 18 months and then intervened so badly with misinformation that Nazanin’s sentence looks like it will be further increased. Boris is an absolute disgrace to this country and should resign – his half-apology was too little, too late.

Clinging on to power appears more important now than doing the decent thing for all. Despite appearing to want to put Britain first, this Government is merely undermining the British values we have had for centuries.

A group of supporters in London recently showed solidarity with this young woman but I would say that most British people are aghast at her imprisonment and her separation from her husband and child and would wish this Government to do more and to do it now.

Nicki Bartlett

Cardiff

Tech companies must do more to tackle abuse

Natasha Devon has received death threats for proposing gender neutral policies in girls’ schools (“Former Government advisor gets rape and death threats for proposing gender neutral language in schools”, Saturday).

My comment is not about the rights and wrongs of her opinions – gender issues are not my particular concern. What does bother me is that social media platforms are used by extremely unpleasant people to hurl such abuse, knowing that the offence they cause is not an offence in a legal sense, and certainly not one according to the so-called “community standards” of tech companies such as Facebook. I’m not sure which community’s standards are supposed to be reflected here, but where I live they’re certainly not acceptable.

Patrick Cosgrove

Bucknell, Shropshire

Who even knows what they’re doing anymore?

As a young man, I firmly believed that those in authority who made important decisions in government and business must be the right people for the job.

However, in recent times I find myself wondering whether or not the right person is always in the right job.

Let us consider some recent decisions which have been far from perfect.

The DVLA changed the method of taxing vehicles and promptly lost £107m.

Camelot increased the numbers required to play Lotto and sales have dropped.

This year, British Gas has lost one million customers who have switched to other suppliers.

Finally, Theresa May called an election.

How is it possible to make sure the right person is in the right job?

It is, of course, impossible and we are left with the hope that whatever decision is taken will prove to be correct.

Thankfully, hope springs eternal!

Colin Bower

Sherwood, Nottingham

The value of sport

James Sutherland, CEO of Cricket Australia, was on the radio discussing some economic indicator research in relation to the Ashes. I can’t remember doing this when I coached junior boys and girls cricket but then again I was just a teacher helping out at school to give people the opportunity to play a sport.

Maybe we should evaluate sporting success using the Bhutan approach of measuring happiness.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne, Australia