Sir, – Further to Fintan O'Toole's "15 steps to help England climb down over Brexit" (Opinion & Analysis, February 20th), to see this level of Brexit derangement syndrome (BDS) in full flush is quite a sight. It goes without saying that any similar attempt at politically motivated humour across the water in, for example, the Daily Mail or the Daily Express at the expense of the Irish populace would cause untold outrage and much gnashing of teeth in the Twittersphere.
Meanwhile the UK economy remains obdurately healthy and, outside of those perennial BDS sufferers like Fintan O’Toole, most average Brits and, indeed, Irish folk, have long since shrugged their shoulders and moved on since the referendum result of June 2016. – Yours, etc,
SIMON O’NEILL,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – In every column and piece Fintan O’Toole writes for you on Brexit, he continues to refer to “England” as the culprit. I must inform him – regardless of how much we Irish do enjoy blasting the English for all our woes – that our Welsh cousins also voted for Brexit, as did nearly 40 per cent of Scots, and 45 per cent of people in Northern Ireland.
It was a national referendum, so sticking all the blame on England is both factually wrong and unfairly absolves the bits of the UK which we tend to like more of any blame for this mess. Please instruct him to refer to the UK as responsible for Brexit in future, otherwise you are literally peddling fake news. – Yours, etc,
EVAN BYRNE,
London.
Sir, – Fintan O’Toole’s “bendy bananas” article criticising the English has the same level of misjudgment in relation to Brexit as the London media’s articles telling us Irish to know our place and shut our gobs in relation to the same subject.
The consequences of Brexit have the potential to be so severe that harping on about stereotypes in present circumstances is counterproductive and inappropriate. – Yours, etc,
A LEAVY,
Sutton,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – Fintan O’Toole’s excellent article “Fifteen Steps to help England climb down over Brexit” covered many helpful suggestions.
Here are a few more to add to the list. All voting in future Eurovision song contests should have a special weighting of 12 points from each European country for the United Kingdom entry. This way the UK will win every year and have to host the contest.
All European restaurants will include roast beef and Yorkshire pudding on its menu for Sunday lunches. – Yours, etc,
HILARY FINLAY,
Booterstown,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – David Davis is setting a suspiciously low bar for success in post-Brexit Britain (“Brexit will not create ‘Mad Max’ dystopia in UK, says Davis”, February 20th). The outcome of Brexit is unlikely to be especially spectacular, probably just a reduction in economic power and influence in exchange for an increase in a nationalist’s notion of sovereignty. It will be more “Barmy Brexit” than “Mad Max”. It will not be a disaster, but beware of imposters dressing up anything that is less than a total disaster as a triumph. – Yours, etc,
COLIN WALSH,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.