I HAVE been watching Sir Ivan Rogers, the former UK Permanent Representative to the EU, courageously giving frank and full evidence to the European Union Committee of the Lords and am shocked to learn that, on the basis of his evidence, which must be weighed against what we hear from the Prime Minister in the Commons, the situation is much worse than even I imagined. It is damning of any hopes that there will be any good outcome of either Theresa May's deal or the avoidance of No Deal. Moreover, Sir Ivan sees little hope for any UK benefit from a reversal of the Brexit decision and is scornful of the fantasy of Europe agreeing to an extension beyond March 29.

This is a man who worked at the very heart of the Government's workings with the European Union. He is clear that the Prime Minister has lost all the goodwill that existed for the UK in every capital in Europe. He considers that when we leave and return with our begging bowl the response will be brutal and does not foresee any amicable arrangements unless the UK fully accepts that it continues to have fiscal responsibilities and will not be entitled to any special treatment as a former member.

The Brexiters are calling down Sir Ivan's evidence as that of a failed civil servant. He is a man of honour who resigned because this UK Government was ignoring his advice. He is a man who understands the European Union and knows far better than any politician the extent of the folly into which we are drifting for want of UK political leadership. He is clear that the UK has ever been seen as a truculent partner and that exasperation, if not animosity, has replaced goodwill as a result of the behaviour of the current Government.

Surely, now, it must be apparent that Scotland, which has sustained the goodwill of Europe by her vote to remain and the consistency and competence of her own governmental leaders, should rid herself of dominance by the English electorate and their obsolescent Parliament. We, the electors of Scotland, require to do this before we are dragged into the appalling social and economic quagmire into which it seems the electors of England are wilfully determined to descend.

KM Campbell,

Bank House, Doune.

THOSE wanting another referendum complain “this isn’t the Brexit they promised us”.

Of course it’s not, because “they” don’t yet have any deal authorised by Article 50, which requires a single agreement for both withdrawal and, arguably more importantly, our future EU relationship.

We thus remain in total ignorance of the latter, of our ability to make other trade arrangements, of our own “Supreme Court’s” continued subservience to the European Court of Justice, and many other factors.

If these are clarified by 2021/2022, will they then demand a third vote, assuming the second broadly reflects the first? And what will they do now if the second conflicts with the first?

John Birkett,

12 Horseleys Park, St Andrews.

DAVID Mundell has repeated on BBC Scotland the pretty stupid statement that if people want to avoid a No Deal on Brexit, then they have to back Theresa May's deal. As if Mrs May had a deal. Someone should inform Mr Mundell ( and the other Tories who repeat this nonsense) that Theresa May ripped up her agreed deal with the EU, and is presently seeking a new one.

GR Weir,

17 Mill Street, Ochiltree.

NOT for the first time, I have noted how often scientists doing incredibly important research and who appear on our television screens to speak about it are EU nationals.

The research reported today (February 22) by the BBC covered work into an alarming number of young people who have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and on a UN report into fears about maintaining the world’s food supply due to a loss of biodiversity, urban expansion and pollution. Both of these are not trivial matters.

The EU has strongly encouraged and financed research co-operation between member states and this has been put at risk through Brexit.

"Taking back control" comes at a price I’m afraid, and part of that price is increasing isolation.

Willie Towers,

Victoria Road, Alford.

FIRST we had MPs standing on an election mandate to honour the result of the EU referendum, only once elected to do the opposite. Then we had MPs demanding a second referendum vote on the basis that circumstances had changed, but then refusing to stand in by-elections when their circumstances changed.

Now we have MPs, Government ministers and shadow cabinet ministers threatening to "walk away" if they don't get the deal they want; which ironically is for the UK not to "walk away" if it does not get a deal it wants.

Do none of them see the double standards and hypocrisy in this, or are they too arrogant and contemptuous of democracy?

Paul Lewis,

99 Guardwell Crescent, Edinburgh.

HAVING read several of your correspondents who are Unionists and/or Brexiters I find myself wondering whether they have been duped or are they cynically attempting to dupe us by their constant attacks upon the Scottish Government? The very actions of which they accuse the SNP are actually being practised by their masters in Westminster. It would be laughable if it were not so pathetic.

Surely no person of any sanity would view the crass incompetence being displayed by both Labour and Conservatives at Westminster as anything other than cringeworthy. Theresa May and her fantasist foot soldiers are willing to drive this country into financial disaster to curry favour with the Brexit right-wing extremists in her party. Jeremy Corbyn has displayed his total incompetence, which is hardly surprising given he managed 30-plus years as an MP without ever meriting any position of responsibility.

While we Scots have our intelligence insulted by these correspondents their Brexit heroes must be laughing uproariously at their naivety, whether it is Nigel Farage applying for German passports for his sons or Jacob Rees-Mogg shifting his investments to Ireland or the Barclay Brothers relocating to Monaco or major Brexit donor Robert Edmiston registering his companies in Malta and residing in Portugal. The list goes on and on.

Rats abandoning the sinking ship comes to mind, but they have left their pet mice to squeak loudly to create a distraction.

David Stubley,

22 Templeton Crescent, Prestwick.

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