Advertisement

Germany should put its own house in order rather than pontificate about Brexit

German protesters attend a demonstration against the anti-immigration party AfD: REUTERS
German protesters attend a demonstration against the anti-immigration party AfD: REUTERS

Some of Angela Merkel’s senior political colleagues showed open contempt for leading Brexiteers after last year’s referendum. To some extent this was understandable. Much mind-bending nonsense was talked by Johnson, Gove et al. We will be struggling to undo the damage that they have done for decades, and Ukip, of course, is an embarrassment.

But let’s be clear: the German extreme right is nastier by far, and they have achieved significant success in the federal elections. Notwithstanding our Brexit foolishness, we certainly need take no lessons from the German political class on matters of political morality. They should now reflect, and put their own house in order.

John Gemmell

Birmingham

Democracy abhors a vacuum, so, given the existing parties’ neglect of a huge slice of German public opinion, the rise of Alternative for Germany was inevitable.

Much of the UK media seems intent on portraying AfD as dangerous extremists, and an ill-considered and aggressive strain is indeed apparent within it. When views are excluded from mainstream political debate, they develop outside the restraining influences of common decency and ugly aspects can develop unchecked – especially when constantly goaded by identity politics from the left.

It requires intelligence and a strong value system to clearly articulate opposition to mass immigration without opposing immigrants. Critics of Islam must steer clear of attacking Muslims. Valuing a uniting sense of national identity need not involve denigrating other nationalities. Celebrating the manifold achievements and benefits of Western culture must not shade into racial superiority. Pride in the achievement of our ancestors must not exclude those of other lineages from national identity.

Of course, one can navigate this minefield with impeccable finesse and still be accused of racism and xenophobia, to name two of the less hysterical charges. There are signs of a stirring of far-right extremism in Scotland, and across Europe, so we should not expend our lexical ammunition indiscriminately.

Richard Lucas

Glasgow

What does Brexit mean to MPs anyway?

If Labour is going to have its “conference” without meaningfully conferring on the one subject that is going to map Britain’s course economically and social for the foreseeable future – Brexit – might I suggest that the party saves a lot of energy, time and media focus and just has a half-hour chat on – oh, I don’t know – the 10 best uses of baking soda – and then all go home?

Amanda Baker

Edinburgh

Nicola Sturgeon tweets her displeasure at Labour for what she calls an “abdication of responsibility” for not having a full debate and vote on Brexit at their conference. Based on Sturgeon’s newfound enthusiasm for open debate on controversial issues, we can perhaps look forward to the SNP conference in October considering why it makes sense for an independent Scotland to give back to Brussels all the 111 powers that she is currently making such a fuss about.

Indeed, while they are at it, they could perhaps also have a vote on how many of the SNP faithful would support signing up to President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker’s recent vision of an ever closer union for the EU. This is to include an EU finance minister, an EU defence union and compulsory adoption of the euro for all EU members.

Keith Howell

West Linton, Scottish Borders

What would happen if MPs were given the opportunity freely to vote upon whether Brexit should continue or be cancelled? Surely this is something that both Leavers and Remainers need to know.

Given that 37 per cent of the eligible electorate voted Leave and that Parliament is the UK’s sovereign body, it is a great surprise that MPs are not demanding their right to state what they think is in the best interest of the UK. Is it possible that they are doing this so that they can blame any ills that may befall the UK upon “the will of the people” rather than taking any responsibility themselves? This would be a great excuse for future governments, of whatever composition.

MPs should be called upon and allowed to vote freely on this subject so that we can hold Parliament and future governments to account for actions that they are now taking and facilitating. They are elected to do what they consider to be in the best interest of the UK, not of their party or personal interests.

I could call upon many of Edmund Burke’s quotations that are relevant to the abrogation of responsibility by MPs but I’ll choose two: “The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts”, and: “The hottest fires in hell are reserved for those who remain neutral in times of moral crisis.”

MPs should not let their own or their constituents’ rights be nibbled away any further to expedite Brexit. They should be fighting for their right not to be neutral in the face of the “will of the people”.

Paul Hearn

Juignac, France

How do we Remainers react to the Prime Minister’s set piece speech in Florence? As Stop Brexit march supporter and keynote speaker Alastair Campbell wrote: ”Choosing Florence said ‘This is special’. Signalling her intentions so far in advance reinforced that impression: that this was to be ‘a moment’ in the Brexit process.”

Does this make anyone planning to come to Manchester on 1st October to join the Stop Brexit march feel reassured or less likely to attend? With her words “The British public voted for Brexit”, Remainers up and down the country let out a roar of: “No we didn’t.” A tiny majority of a gerrymandered electorate may have made that choice, but why is the voice of the not-much-smaller minority being totally ignored, swept aside, erased from history by speechwriters and politicians alike?

We haven’t gone away and we can’t get behind Brexit. There is no plan and only a tired and frankly illiterate ideology. We will never support something that is so wrong for the country. So we won’t shut up. In fact, we plan to make a huge noise when we protest at the Conservative Party Conference on 1 October.

The march will assemble at All Saints Park, Oxford Road, with a rally from 11am. There will be high-profile Remain speakers including our patron AC Grayling, Alastair Campbell, activist and campaigner Bonnie Greer, MPs Lucy Powell and Alison McGovern and MEP Richard Corbett.

There has never been a more important time to march, to show the strength of feeling in this country, and to demand that our politicians stop Brexit. Once again, Theresa May presumed to speak for all of us in Florence when she said: “We’d never felt at home in the EU.” Actually, many of us have always felt at home in the EU. We still do. The EU is our home. Not this unrecognisable Brexit Britain that was birthed by lies and self-interest.

Marchers will assemble to march behind the specially commissioned (and never seen before) Jaques Tilly float. Jaques has made controversial carnival floats in recent months featuring Theresa May with a Brexit starting pistol in her mouth and Donald Trump as a baby in a soiled nappy. Now he is creating one especially for the Manchester March. A total surprise, it will be revealed for the very first time to all of us and the world’s media there on the day. I would urge Independent readers to come along.

Polly Ernest

Herefordshire

Donald Trump has a crisis on his hands that he’s barely even acknowledged

Trump can forget about North Korea and his fights with the professional sports community as being his number one and two crises. Hurricane Maria has made Puerto Rico unlivable. A huge number of the population of 3.4 million have lost their jobs due to the failure of electricity and communication systems, as well as the destruction of roads and other state infrastructure

Trump has only one choice. He will have to ask Congress for the high tens of billions to provide immediate relief for the destitute population.

Both Texas and Florida have the resources to cope with their hurricane destruction without federal help. Puerto Rico was bankrupt prior to the disaster and will require immediate assistance. If this is not forthcoming, it is possible that hundreds of thousands of islanders – who have the right to travel and live anywhere within the 50 states of the US – will be forced to leave the island just to exist.

One million ethnic Puerto Ricans live in New York state with 700,000 in New York City alone. If Trump is unable to provide immediate relief for the people in Puerto Rico, he may be forced to provide it outside the steps of Trump Tower.

George D Lewis

Brackley, Northamptonshire