A return to common sense politics may be on the horizon

As the Conservative Government in Britain and the Republican administration in America suffer significant political setbacks, is it too much to hope that we might, at last, be seeing the return of common sense?

Tory bluster over the Brexit amendment defeat, and Trump’s sadly predictable response to losing a crucial election in Alabama show yet again how out of touch with real people our leaders are. Blair, Bush, Cameron, and now May and Trump have/are finding how unwise it is to ignore voices of reason.

Note also, how these has-been (or shortly to be so) politicians always escape the consequences of their crass behaviour and enjoy a retirement of comfortable obscurity.

Steve Edmondson
Cambridge

A good day for democracy, indeed

I am very pleased that amendment seven was voted into law last night, giving Parliament the right to vote on whatever deal emerges from Brexit negotiations and I do not understand the Tory dismay. Surely defeat can be turned into a victory as May now goes to Brussels with the message that there has to be a deal which will satisfy Parliament, not just her Cabinet.

As Guy Verhofstadt put it, it was “a good day for democracy”. Without this amendment, the British Parliament would have been the only one in the EU without a meaningful vote on the final deal.

Helen Watson
Goring Heath

Theresa May’s defeat in the Commons is a victory for democracy because it’s clear that most MPs are hostile to our departure from the EU and want to curb a hard Brexit.

Parliament is “taking back control” after David Cameron’s rash referendum which, for reasons now only too obvious, was a device favoured by fascist dictators.

Rev Dr John Cameron
St Andrews

Oh, the irony

Hard Brexiteers insist that the EU divorce bill will only be paid if there is an agreement on a trade deal at the end of the Brexit negotiations.

They may have not realised yet that some of those divorce monies are due to Brexiteers themselves: with no divorce money, the EU may be forced to tell Farage to “go and whistle” to Boris Johnson for his EU pension, which Farage has so far publicly refused to forego.

What an interesting whistling duet from the Brexiteer orchestra that would be!

On one side would be Johnson whistling for a trade deal while Farage whistles for divorce (and pension) monies! At least for once Brexiteers will be in tune!

Antero Touchard
Madrid

Sexist socks

Whilst idling around M&S the other day I happened to glance at the Christmas socks selection for men and noticed that it was horribly sexist. OK, I understand the selection of five Mr Men, but there were no female characters among the five Simpsons or the five Muppets on display.

It might be defended on the grounds that men only want male characters represented on their socks, but I for one would very much welcome Miss Piggy wrapped around my ankle.

John Rathbone
Southampton

When will Theresa May sack David Davis?

It was beyond my wildest imagination that Donald Trump would have more integrity than Theresa May yet, when Michael Flynn lied to Vice President Pence, Trump immediately fired Flynn.

It is clear to me that David Davis deliberately misled both Houses about all that “excruciating detail” in the Brexit papers and Theresa May did absolutely nothing.

When will May have the integrity to sack Davis?

John Harvey
Bristol