GIVEN the impasse in Salzburg and the pending scenarios later, add in the European Research Group’s rejection of Chequers, then the extreme Brexiters will, must, challenge her position as Prime Minister before, in their eyes, all is lost.

Theresa May, the supplicant, can only move towards the Brussels position. Hence in the eyes of the extreme Brexiters and ironically given the silent view of the DUP which props her up and has no interest in cross-Irish relations, she must go. As Chequers is rejected by the EU as well and doomed in the Tory Party, maybe Mrs May will leave the sinking ship as it is the end of her signature policy take on Brexit.

The Tory conferences, not conference, will be fascinating scenarios to watch.

John Edgar,

1a Langmuir Quadrant,

Kilmaurs.

IS David Miller (Letters, September 20) blessed with second sight? He states that “just about every forecast made about Brexit has been wrong”. How does he know that, when Brexit hasn’t even happened yet, and he himself says that “no one knows what will happen”?

It is surely obvious that the UK has prospered financially in trading with other nations, as part of a larger grouping of some 450 million with greater bargaining power. The world map is no longer covered in large patches of red, and we are no longer the leader of an international British Empire taking advantage of that economic strength. But until now our membership of the European Union has to a large extent compensated for the loss of that power, influence and trading strength.

When we cast ourselves adrift from Europe next March our bargaining power will depend on offering a market of some 65 million instead of almost 500 million, and our global influence will be much reduced. Delusions of past UK grandeur and power are of no relevance. Hard economic reality will bite, and following generations will ask why we allowed ourselves to be persuaded to choose such a stupid option as leaving the European Union.

Iain A D Mann,

7 Kelvin Court,

Glasgow.

GREGOR McKenzie (Letters, September 19) writes that I, like the BBC, according to him, was spreading "fake news" when referring to the effects of a no-deal Brexit. He suggests incorrectly that I was influenced by the reporting of the BBC. For the avoidance of doubt, let me say that most of the information used by me about such effects came from the columns of The Herald.

I turn first to the question of driving in the EU after the departure of the UK with no deal. The UK Government paper on no-deal states that the UK driving licence may no longer be valid by itself and a form of International Driving Permit may be required. How many of the thousands of British people currently hiring cars or driving their own cars in the EU trouble to get such a permit? This can be seen as a major change. With regard to UK passports, the Government position paper on the subject, considering a no-deal Brexit, stated that the entry requirements for British passport holders travelling to Schengen area countries will change after the UK leaves. What is the point of saying that if it is incorrect?

According to Mr McKenzie, the British public are not only being spun along by the BBC during the current uncertainty and protracted discussion, they are also being misled by their Government. Perhaps he is so convinced that the downsides of Brexit, which are anyway being overplayed according to him, are almost completely overshadowed by its upsides. Anyway, the debate will soon reach its denouement.

Ian W Thomson,

38 Kirkintilloch Road,

Lenzie.

A MAY deal

Or nae deal

Douglas Frew,

135 Overmills Road,

Ayr.

I WOULD remind Ian R Mitchell that the countries which make up the EU are all independent nations which I suspect also consider themselves to be internationalists, and as an independent nation, Scotland could be part of that forward, internationalist outlook; after all, as far back as the Hamilton by-election in 1967, the SNP's Winnie Ewing was declaring "Stop the World, Scotland wants to get on".

I am surprised that Mr Mitchell considers Jeremy Corbyn to have the solutions to the "global crisis" as many of Mr Corbyn's own MPs seem convinced that Mr Corbyn is the problem, not the solution. They know that at the 2017 General Election, with a floundering Theresa May antagonising her own core supporters, Mr Corbyn had the best chance he would ever have to put Labour into power, and he failed. Mr Mitchell admits that Mr Corbyn needs "all the help he can get" and while no doubt he will welcome Mr Mitchell's support, a lesson that they may both have to learn quickly is that Mr Corbyn is unelectable because middle England will not vote for him and have the Red Flag flying there.

Ruth Marr,

99 Grampian Road,

Stirling.

INTERNATIONALISM, like nationalism, comes in various and sometimes incompatible forms. The kind we have in the EU involves a club with all members having a vote.

Unfortunately, the more common form throughout history has been large empires – Roman, Dutch, Spanish, British – with the outlying areas exploited for the benefit of the centre, and only the mother country having any say.

The Westminster Government completely ignores Scottish opinion whether expressed by the electorate in the EU referendum or by the Scottish Parliament (whose powers they are beginning to grab back).

So it's clear what kind of internationalism the UK Government represents.

Mary McCabe,

25 Circus Drive,

Glasgow.

THE UK voted, as a whole, by quite a slender margin to leave the EU, but this was on the back of preposterous "porkie pies", propagated in a totally unscrupulous campaign, despite which Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain.

Scotland is not a region of the UK. It is a separate country, united to England only by the sleazy Treaty of Union of 1707, whose bonds grow ever more tenuous.

Twenty-seven countries (28, if you count Scotland), want to stay in. What makes the divided view of the country led (or should I say misled), by Westminster so extra special?

Joseph G Miller,

44 Gardeners Street,

Dunfermline.