A chara, – Brexit only goes ahead when the UK prime minister Theresa May signs Article 50 in March, according to media and the Conservative leadership. However, this is all assuming that Theresa May is still the prime minister and that the British parliament is happy to comply with this possibly disastrous agenda. Even if parliamentary approval is denied by the PM, the majority of MPs are in fact Remain supporters. They have the power to vote no confidence in the PM. This would also involve the Labour Party’s MPs, along with the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, the SDLP and the Remain side of the Conservative Party deciding to do what is best for their country.
Perhaps the Ukip and the Labour Party may not be the only UK parties to undergo a fundamental shake-up before the turbulent year is out? – Yours, etc,
PAUDIE MURPHY,
Cill Chomhghaill,
Co Chill Mhantáin.
Sir, – The more discussion that takes place and the more we see of the political and media reaction, the more we come to realise that Brexit is a momentous decision with enormous, mostly negative, implications for not alone the UK but also the EU and not least for Ireland. The Brexit vote could be the beginning of the break-up of the UK.
But the implications of Brexit go much further than that. The Brexit vote could also be the start of the dismantling of the EU. The EU is a unique union of nearly 30 European democracies each of which, after centuries of imperial and totalitarian warfare, signed a treaty to cooperate in matters of mutual interest. The UK is tearing up that treaty.
In relation to Ireland, Brexit is a redeclaration of the economic war of the 1930s. At best, the Brexit vote will have an as yet undefined but major deleterious effect on the billion euro trade between the two countries on these islands.
In relation to Northern Ireland, Brexit tears up the Belfast Agreement, which was supported in a referendum by the majority of people on this island.
By definition, Brexit is a decision to put a border between the UK and the rest of the EU. Otherwise there was no point in voting for it. That border runs right across Ireland, and the UK answer to that seems to be “So what? Suck it up.” – Yours, etc,
A LEAVY,
Sutton,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – Your wide-ranging and informative series on "Ireland: Beyond Brexit" has left me with much food for thought, and in the process is causing me a lot of mental heartburn.
Should you add another chapter, “Ireland: Beyond Brexit – The Unknown Unknowns”, my condition will become chronic! – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL GANNON,
Kilkenny.