CONSERVATIVE politicians used to dread a visit from men in grey suits coming to tell them that their time had come.

Now it is more likely that they should fear a visit from men in white coats. The inmates have clearly taken over at Westminster.

The UK is struggling financially (“British economy grinds to a halt,” The Herald, January 5); thousands of civil servants and border staff are being recruited, paid and trained, found accommodation, perhaps to be made redundant in a short space of time; lorry parks are being established; £14 million have been paid to a virtually non-existent shipping company whose terms and conditions are reportedly based on a pizza delivery company; border disruption is anticipated; Ramsgate harbour is being dredged; and new routes and access roads are about to be overloaded.

In addition, one thousand policemen are being trained for possible deployment in Northern Ireland in anticipation of Brexit-prompted trouble (“End ‘brinkmanship’ plea as Scots police train for Irish border alert”, The Herald, January 5); some £6bn is being spent on the Brexit process; and all of this at a time of strict austerity.

Or was this the reason for the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, declaring that austerity was over? And what about the Opposition? What Opposition?

The overall picture is one of self-inflicted national suicide. One wonders how Theresa May’s much-vaunted “those who are just about managing” section of the population is getting on.

The really vulnerable and poor must be in despair.

Streets are lined with rough sleepers. Universal Credit is punishing many.

All of this is happening to satisfy those deranged Tory MPs who misled the public about the benefits of Brexit to secure its backing. Yet they might well wipe out their own party.

Nigel Dewar Gibb,

15 Kirklee Road, Glasgow.

THERE we have it confirmed, as had been suspected all along, in a telling remark on Brexit by former Tory party chairman Chris Patten: “The whole sorry shambles began with a decision [by David Cameron, lest we forget], to call a referendum in order to manage the English nationalist right wing of the Conservative party.”

The English nationalist, or Little Englander, problem within the devolved UK is causing havoc. Furthermore, the Tory party under Mr Cameron chose to involve the four nations of the UK in a referendum to solve the Tory party’s perennial internal problem, namely the EU.

The resulting mess is, to a degree, risible. We have Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary, carrying out spurious tests to release lorries from a disused airfield in Kent, supposedly to ascertain traffic flows in a no-Brexit scenario.

The trouble is, there is no control built in against which to test it. The comedy of errors is compounded by giving Seaborne, a ghost company with no ships, ferries, a feasible harbour or operational experience, millions of pounds to set up in a no-deal scenario.

Tory mismanagement and unsound judgement have led to this state of affairs. Theresa May was reported even to be contemplating running multiple votes at Westminster to secure passage of her deal.

The German press, in the chaotic days of British Leyland, coined the term “Britisch Elend”, meaning British misery. After this EU shambles has been worked through, there will no doubt be a new term across the Churchillian “English speaking peoples” coined for chaos; namely, “English Parliament”.

John Edgar,

1a Langmuir Quadrant, Kilmaurs.

HOW spurious and threadbare are the arguments coming from Theresa May about risking democracy if her Withdrawal Agreement is not backed (“May branded ‘rabbit caught in headlights’ as Brexit vote date confirmed”, The Herald, January 7).

David Cameron bypassed our representative democracy and put the power to decide into the hands of the electorate.

He waived the idea that referendums are merely advisory and no more than a guide for our elected members.

With the confusion gripping the chamber, the Prime Minister is insisting on driving through her deal by hook or by crook.

There is now only one viable escape route if Mrs May wants to protect her legacy as premier.

She has to opt for a second referendum, fighting on the platform that only the people can resolve the impasse.

Such a choice would show whether she has genuine conviction as regards to her commitment to her as-yet-unratified Brussels deal.

This is the woman whose record as Home Secretary is unravelling before our eyes and who has an unerring instinct to follow the wrong advice.

Another referendum could well reinforce her stance, being the definitive will of the people and the last word in democracy.

Her fear is that she would end up on the losing side and become the latest casualty of Brexit bungling.

True political courage would see her going down fighting instead of limping along in the war of attrition that she is waging.

Denis Bruce.

5 Rannoch Gardens.

Bishopbriggs.

NOW that the Brexit battle has been rejoined, perhaps we could reverse the question of “should we leave?”, and consider the following: would we join the EU now if we were not members?

France is in flames; unhappy Germany rules by the euro; Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece are bankrupt; and youth unemployment approaches 40 per cent.

Also, the eastern countries of Poland, Austria and Hungary are ruled by far-right antisemitic governments that are friendly with Russia; Bulgaria, Romania and the Baltic states are being depopulated; and the Balkan states might return to war.

Who would wish to join this club?

Gavin R Tait,

37 Fairlie,

East Kilbride.

THERE seems little doubt that those who swung the Brexit vote – the English provinces, especially the Midlands and the North – will be hit hardest by the fall-out.

This is perhaps only fair but should they not be joined by the pensioners who voted two to one leave?

I hear a great deal from Oldie leavers about the Dunkirk spirit and of the suffering that must be endured for a “glorious” future.

But it would be the height of hypocrisy for young Remainers to bear all the pain while we escape with all of our freebies intact.

Rev Dr John Cameron,

10 Howard Place,

St Andrews.