Sir, – William Hague amply demonstrates the British establishment's characteristic arrogance by labelling Ursula von der Leyen's time as president of the European Commission as "among the most dismal in its existence" (Stephen Collins, "Doubts grow over von der Leyen's stewardship", Opinion & Analysis, March 26th).
Mr Hague, as UK foreign secretary and leader of the House of Commons, was chiefly responsible – along with his friend, the prime minister, David Cameron – in pushing Britain into the disastrous Brexit vote as a way of solving the long-term Tory party internal rift over Europe.
William Hague’s reward for ushering in the unique and unparalleled national self-harm of Brexit? A lucrative and comfortable life-long sinecure in the House of Lords as Baron Hague of Richmond.
No doubt the peculiar knack of regularly “failing upwards” encourages the often incompetent British ruling classes in their dismal habit of looking down their noses at Johnny Foreigner. – Yours, etc,
JOE McCARTHY,
Arbour Hill,
Dublin 7.