Observing a national nervous breakdown

Fintan O’Toole’s wonderful article (It was never about Europe. Brexit is a very British neurosis, 18 January) captures the national nervous breakdown perfectly with the line “the meaning is in the leaving, not in what is being left or how”. It needn’t be this way. I once read an account of the late Eric Heffer MP having a row in a meeting held in an oak-panelled room. Eric decided to storm out. He got up, walked round the room, pushing hard on a succession of identical oak panels, none of which proved to be the exit. His indignation abating as his frustration mounted, Eric turned round, walked back to his chair, and rejoined the meeting with the immortal words: “Bugger it, I might as well stay.” We now look to parliament to emulate Eric’s good sense.
Emeritus Professor Glyn Turton
Baildon, West Yorkshire

• Fintan O’Toole’s argument is utterly wrong. A 2018 study asked voters about the main reasons for their decision. Leave voters ranked four options: control over immigration; control over laws; a desire to send less money to the EU; and “to teach British politicians a lesson”. Interestingly, 88% of leave voters ranked the fourth option as the least important.

But Mr O’Toole ignored this data and constructed a straw man. By presenting Brexit as a result of domestic problems, he is sheltering the EU from responsibility. This is dangerous denialism. Only by accepting that the EU has deep and abiding problems at its core can the European project begin a constructive conversation on how to move forward successfully. Mr O’Toole does not appear to want to be a part of that conversation.
Angus Wood
London

• Somebody give Fintan O’Toole a goldfish; amid the glut of Brexit analyses, his dispassionate insight hits the bullseye. This was, as he rightly points out, never really about Europe – this is a British identity crisis plain and simple; made here, raised here, played out here. The fact that vested interests from the left and the right are seeking to use this as a means to pursue their own vanity projects is really incidental. Watching it unfold from north of the border – where we’ve already gone through our own examination of national identity in 2014 – you can’t help but agree with his conclusion that what passes for Britain and British democracy is no longer fit for purpose. The only question now is what will emerge from its demise.
Colin Montgomery
Edinburgh

• Fintan O’Toole’s article is the most lucid and profound political writing I’ve read for a long time. A Corbyn-Lucas jobshare has been suggested (Letters, 17 January), but how about Caroline Lucas leading a coalition between the Green party, a resurgent Lib Dem party, and a centre-left moderate Labour party? And Brexit having being kicked into touch, let the Tories rage at themselves.
John Barrett
Edinburgh

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