It’s hard to see how the EU can buy into the latest UK proposition as it stands, but we should never underestimate the considerable pressure they are under to do so (Dismay in Brussels as Johnson finally reveals his Brexit plan, 3 October). Unlike Johnson, the EU is desperate to avoid no deal, not least because it immediately slams in an Irish border, here and now in 2019. But this is the very thing they desperately want to avoid (hence their entirely justifiable insistence on the backstop).
So the new proposals do present scope for further discussion, which would likely require an extension, thereby averting the dreaded no-deal default later this month.
But this would inevitably prompt Johnson and his sympathetic friends in the media to tender the excuse that he had no alternative due to the alliance between the perfidious EU and their wicked UK collaborators in parliament.
So although having failed to keep his big promise, this would feed in very neatly to his electoral narrative and he would still be well positioned to hoover up leave votes going forward into an election.
Alan Fowler
Newcastle upon Tyne
• So now we will have two borders in Ireland instead of none – one on land and the other in the middle of the sea. Well done, Boris.
Perhaps you can get it up to three in the next set of proposals after this ridiculous one is rejected. How about 10,000 feet up in the air as freight comes in to land so that you have all elements fully covered?
Jan Wlczkowski
Prestwich, Manchester
• One small fly in the ointment of Johnson’s solution to the backstop might be the requirement for this to be agreed by the Northern Ireland assembly. As far as I can remember the assembly has not managed to meet for a few years because it has not been possible to find agreement on the leadership. What chance is there of getting agreement to meet, never mind ratify this bodge job?
Dr Simon Gibbs
Hutton Rudby, North Yorkshire
• Could someone please point out to Sajid Javid et al that leaving the EU on 31 October will not result in “getting Brexit done”.
It will take years to sort out the subsequent disruption, re-establish supply lines, renegotiate all those trade deals and agreements, and rebalance the economy.
And all those civil servants who should be hard at work sorting out the NHS, education, the police, etc, will find themselves indefinitely chained to the Brexit treadmill.
Caroline Harrington
Bristol
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