Like Jean-Claude Juncker I have recently been attending a conference in Italy, so I can directly rebut his claim that “English is losing its importance in Europe” (Report, 6 May). At my European conference on language testing in Bologna 92% of the 131 talks, including all the plenaries, were delivered by choice in English, by speakers of more than 40 nationalities. The representative from the European commission herself reported (in English) that every EU country now teaches English as a foreign language in schools. So when Mr Juncker chose to speak in French “so the French would understand him” he simply blocked out most other Europeans (not to mention other nationalities).
The increasing dominance of English may not always be positive, but it is undeniably a fact. It is regrettable that Juncker chooses to descend to the level of Farage and others by knowingly distorting facts to stir up discontent. Perhaps he and a number of UK politicians should break out of their political bubble of provocation and mendacity, and attend a few real-world events like ours to learn a more productive spirit of honesty, cooperation and genuine dialogue, as the best way forward for Europeans on both sides of the Channel.
Professor Stephen Bax
Canterbury
• The list of leading EU figures to whom Theresa May might have been referring in her ill-judged spot of electioneering (The EU-sual suspects: who might the PM think is meddling?, 4 May) reads like a who’s who of the European People’s party, Europe’s main centre-right political group. Five of the six personalities profiled are key players in the group.
It seems unlikely that May truly believes there is a Brussels plot to influence our election, but these are nevertheless key players we will need to influence if we are to avoid a disastrous cliff-edge Brexit. So it would have been good to have allies in that political family, to have a network that could informally help British politicians to make their case outside the formal framework of the talks to come. But in 2009 David Cameron quit the group for an alliance of fringe politicians and parties at the extreme end of the political spectrum, all in an effort to win over the his party’s hardliners.
A Tory leader damaging Britain’s prospects by shunning our European allies, joining hands instead with less desirable partners. Remind you of anyone?
Glenis Willmott MEP
Labour leader in the European parliament
• Is it not paradoxical that Theresa May, Jeremy Hunt and colleagues are complaining that the EU is keen to prevent the election of a Tory government (Report, 8 May)? Surely, it is more plausible to think that the Tories have encouraged the EU interventions, to show the need for a Tory leadership that is, shall we say, “strong and stable”?
Peter Cave
London
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