Sir, – Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan is reported as encouraging the Irish community in the UK to mobilise in support of Britain remaining in the European Union ("Irish in Britain should oppose Brexit, says Minister", April 6th).
While fully supporting his views on Brexit I have grave doubts about the legitimacy and wisdom of a foreign government interfering in the affairs of another sovereign country by seeking to influence the vote of its emigrants living there. I doubt that it would be regarded as acceptable for a foreign government to try to direct the votes of its nationals in a referendum here.
But there is little likelihood of that happening since, unlike the Irish in Britain, UK residents living here are debarred from voting in referendums. Motes and beams come to mind. – Yours, etc,
HUGH GOUGH,
Dublin 18.