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May made the wrong Brexit choices – and now Europeans living in the UK like me will vote against her

I am almost 40 years old and for the first time, in the next general election (whenever it is), I will have the right to vote. I am one of those 3 million Europeans that everybody talks about these days. Some want us to go back to where we came from. Others want us to stay.

For the first time last week, the prime minister assured us we are safe. We are OK to stay. We are valuable. It only took two years. Thank you, prime minister.

But did you really think we were going to wait until Brexit?

I am now a fully qualified British citizen. A British passport owner. It only took a five-minute language test, a 10-minute life in the UK test and around £2,000 in fees.

Now you have yourself a really angry European with the right to vote in the next general election. Congratulations! And I am not the only one, I am afraid. My wife is becoming a British citizen and my friends, too. How many new voters will there be in the next election? We will not be voting right or left this time – we will be voting REMAIN.

So if Corbyn would like to have my vote, he should consider backing a new referendum.

Francisco Hernandez Olaya
London

There is no hope under Labour

I have been following the Labour Party conference with interest and along with many people, I am looking forward to the wonderful socialist utopia that will be ushered in once the nasty Tories are kicked out and Labour are elected. Oh no... hold on... I’m not one of those who has failed to learn the lessons of history.

Andrew Brown
Derby

Were you missold Brexit?

Our radios have been full of PPI ads for many years (centuries it seems). There is a whole industry built around promises from claims companies to get your missold Payment Protection Insurance back for you. Now it is morphing into missold time shares. Sometimes they intimate they can find money for you even if you don’t think you ever had a policy. In 2019 will we all be entitled to massive payouts for BBI​?

Blatant Brexit Incompetence

Bonkers Brexit Imbecility

Blind Brexit Idiocy

Take your pick...

Amanda Baker
Edinburgh

A people’s vote without the option to remain is undemocratic

I was dismayed to hear that a second referendum without an option to vote Remain was being considered. A second referendum must include an option to remain in the EU. If not, a second referendum doesn’t provide Remainers with a viable option. Choice is the hallmark of our democracy: choice between parties; choice between policies.

To ask Remainers to vote on “no-deal” or “accept what is on the table at the time” is not a real choice. Both options mean we leave. This is not a valid choice for Remainers and therefore undemocratic.

It is nonsense to say that a second referendum undermines the will of the people. Every five years we are asked to reconsider who we wish to vote into power. At this point we vote again. The referendum claimed to be binding but how can we be bound to results that were based on misinformation (e.g. NHS funds).

We are all now better informed and ready to vote again but the second referendum must provide a democratic choice and include remain in the EU.

Hilary Barber
Chipping Norton

I have questions for Kate Hoey

I fear that you do not understand what the real implications are of a “no-deal” scenario with the EU. To say to a Labour fringe event that no deal is no problem suggests you have not read or understood EU treaties. I would appreciate a proper response to each of the following questions to prove your point that no deal is no problem.

Flights to and from the EU are covered by the open skies agreement which we are part of thanks to the EU. If we leave the EU with no transition deal we fall out of the open skies agreement and planes cannot fly to and from the EU. What is your plan to make sure that does not happen?

Falling back on WTO rules means we have to check all goods for tariffs – how does that solve the Northern Ireland problem? Are you suggesting that the UK would simply let any product in it likes without testing (so anything from dangerous toys or counterfeit medicines would be able to enter our shops)? Is that “no problem”? How would you ensure that pharmacies do not end up with counterfeit medicines and our toy shops don’t end up with cheap toys which have not been checked?

A detailed answer, not platitudes, would be appreciated.

Chris Key
Address supplied

EU bullies UK by sticking to its word?

I wrote, and you kindly published, a letter on what the EU would give us in this negotiation nearly two years ago. I stated then that they simply could not offer a unique bespoke deal.

For them this is a matter of realpolitik. They can’t offer us a special deal or every one of the 27 would want one of their own. Result, collapse of the EU. That is simply never going to be allowed to happen. If we persist, we will get what we are given from the EU. It’s not our choice, it’s what they can afford to give.

John Sinclair
Pocklington