Sir, – A country’s leadership is set on taking the country out of the union.
There is no clear consensus among the leadership as to the exact nature of the country’s relationship with that union after it leaves.
The leadership mandates negotiations.
Hardliners know that their ideal outcome is unlikely to be negotiated, so they allow their political rivals to accept what they see as an unacceptable compromise before splitting from them and attempting to strongly assert their leadership over the wider movement.
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This was the case when Ireland left the United Kingdom in 1921.
Are we witnessing a British government undertake a similar experience? – Yours, etc,
MARK O’KEEFFE,
Fairview, Dublin 3.