Sir, – Matthew d'Ancona argues that there is no truth in the claim that the British people were not consulted about immigration levels ("Let's be honest about what's really driving Brexit: bigotry", Opinion & Analysis, December 3rd).
According to Andrew Neather, a former adviser to Tony Blair, Jack Straw and David Blunkett, New Labour’s relaxation of immigration controls in the early 2000s was a deliberate plan to “make the UK truly multicultural” and to “rub the Right’s nose in diversity” and render its arguments obsolete. The policy was not made public to avoid alienating traditional Labour voters.
Brexit shows what happens when political and media elites show contempt for the hopes and aspirations of ordinary voters. – Yours, etc,
KARL MARTIN,
Bayside,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – The UK’s focus on immigration is surely misguided.
Now that the costs of a “no deal” Brexit are becoming clearer, isn’t potential emigration an equally serious concern? – Yours, etc,
TIM McCORMICK,
Dublin 6.