IT’S interesting that Ruth Davidson has applauded David Davis and Boris Johnson for the principle of standing by their Leave votes. I wonder if those Remain-voting Conservatives, such as Theresa May, Jeremy Hunt and, ahem, Ms Davidson might at some point consider standing by their own principles. No? Oh well, I guess they’ll be having the same variety of integrity as a certain allegedly anti-nuclear Labour Party leader.

The only principle in evidence around Westminster is the principle of self-preservation. The sooner we’re out from under it the better. It’s an international embarrassment.

Cameron Crawford,

Woodlands, Serpentine Road, Rothesay, Isle of Bute.

AFTER the chaos of the last few days in government the urgent question remains: what should Britain now do about Brexit? A General Election would solve nothing as a Labour government would be just as divided as the Tories. Theresa May’s Chequers proposals are unlikely to be accepted by the EU. They involve cherry-picking the desirable aspects of EU membership without undertaking the obligations. The hard Brexiters want to push us towards a crisis which will result in us leaving without an agreement, which sensible people think would be a disaster. David Davis and Boris Johnson have no constructive plan to offer us to avoid that result. A free vote in the Commons would almost certainly reject Brexit, but might be regarded as contradicting “the will of the people”.

The conclusion is clear. Now that the realities of Brexit are emerging we need another “people's vote” choosing between what will clearly be all the disadvantages of Brexit and staying in the EU. Only another direct appeal to the people can stop this mad process.

Kenneth Brown,

61 Killermont Road, Bearsden.

I ONCE asked an English Leaver friend what he thought he had voted for: he replied a “clean” Brexit where we escaped EU regulations but retained frictionless trade. When I suggested the EU would never agree to this he said its business community would force its hand or else we would threaten to walk away.

If this is an accurate reflection of what thoughtful Leavers believed, Theresa May's key strategic blunder was to trigger Article 50 before assessments were made of the economic impact of leaving the EU. Yet she was under severe pressure from Tory backwoodsmen who feared the results of such an exercise.

The moment Article 50 was triggered Michel Barnier knew he had won. David Davis wandered in with his brief written on the back of fag packet, Boris Johnson spouted offensive nonsense, Mrs May called a daft election, raising the nightmare spectre of Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street. You couldn't make it up.

Rev Dr John Cameron,

10 Howard Place, St Andrews.

THE turmoil in the UK is partly due to the SNP ("Trump says UK in turmoil as May cosies up to Merkel", The Herald, July 11).

The SNP is determined to undermine Brexit in order to promote its own independence theme. This has given Nicola Sturgeon no wriggle room.

Judging by past rhetoric, the SNP should be embracing Theresa May's position as the best of a perceived bad deal. Instead we are getting resistance that can only be interpreted as a push for the SNP's own objectives. Into this mix we now find the visit of President Trump will not include a meeting with Nicola Sturgeon. Does the SNP not realise that its own narrow world view has consequences? Being snubbed by President Trump might go down well with some supporters but the cost of this, and the SNP's stance on Brexit, will have repercussions for years to come.

The insular viewpoint of the SNP is being exposed on the world stage and it is not helpful. A viable independent Scotland is looking ever more unlikely now as the SNP annoys America and England as well as irritating the European Union over Catalonia, all in the same week.

Dr Gerald Edwards,

Broom Road, Glasgow.

AS a former teacher of history I would envisage future Scottish students seeking a brief summary of Brexit as follows:

"So what you're essentially saying Sir is that posh Dave and his chums decide to hold a referendum on EU membership in June 2016 to stop the Conservatives from fighting like ferrets in a sack and reinforce his own leadership position rather than for democratic ideals?"

"Yes, young Jacob, I think most historians now agree that this was the principal reason for the referendum but that it backfired on Mr Cameron who disappeared into the political wilderness with only his enormous family fortune for solace."

" And that for two years the very nature of Brexit remained unclear to everyone whilst Europe descended into apathy regarding the status of the UK?"

" Yes, by July 2018, Mrs May, the hapless Prime Minister who was left to try and unravel this political Gordian Knot, had opted for a form of Brexit that ironically left her party fighting privately and publicly once again like ferrets in a sack."

"Until, of course Sir, we returned 'cap in hand' to the EU and forgot the whole sorry episode just before President Trump and his ally, the Russian head of state, Mr Putin, annexed Europe in an artful bloodless coup?"

"For which we remain eternally grateful, for without this we would not now enjoy the benevolent leadership of our own President Salmond".

Owen Kelly,

8 Dunvegan Drive, Stirling.

AS the Cabinet resignations and rumours of resignations rumble on I can't believe Mrs May didn't engineer this. If so, history may call this episode the night of the long stilletos.

Allan Sutherland,

1 Willow Row, Stonehaven.

I FEEL that with all the turmoil the Government is in, this year Westminster Parliament should seriously consider not breaking up for the summer recess on Friday week.

MPs don't return until September 5 – what all could occur in that seven-week period?

I shudder to think what adverse effect this near two-month delay will have on addressing the whole Brexit issue.

Judi Martin,

Alma, Maryculter, Aberdeenshire.

I BELIEVE it is now time to give controversial ex-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson the opportunity to form his own administration with fellow hardline Eurosceptics and himself as Premier ("Johnson hopes to be PM but to many he is a busted flush", The Herald, July 11).

I suggest Latitude57°35’48”N Longitude13°41’19”W, as an appropriate location – on Rockall in the North Atlantic Ocean.

R Russell Smith,

96 Milton Road, Kilbirnie.