LEADING Brexit campaigners roar in feigned offence at Donald Tusk’s recent comments ("May heads to Brussels on bid to change terms of the Brexit deal", The Herald, February 7), deliberately misrepresenting them as a criticism of Brexit itself.

What he actually said was “I’ve been wondering, what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely,” so he was only criticising those who promoted Brexit without having a clue as to how they’d conclude the fabled "easiest deal in human history".

The fact that all leading Brexit campaigners are taking offence indicates the truth of what he said, that their promised nirvana never existed, and their fervent refusal to contemplate a People’s Vote indicates that they know the people would now agree with Mr Tusk.

Ross Wright,

350A Albert Drive, Glasgow.

I REMEMBER a photograph you printed on August 18, 20217 in which Michel Barnier and David Davis are sitting across a table from one another to begin Brexit negotiations.

Mr Barnier and his aide had documents before them, ready to proceed. What did Mr Davis and his aide have? Nothing. This just goes to show, in my estimation, the arrogance – if not ignorance – of the Brexiters' attitude from the outset. They hadn't a clue where to begin, had no plans; expecting, perhaps, that the EU politicians would do the job for them. What has changed? The situation is cringeworthy.

The UK is paying the price and, whether hell or not, this period in our history is certainly a dark one.

Janet Cunningham,

10 The Woodlands, Stirling.

I DOUBT if Donald Tusk is correct in seeking a corner of Hell in which to confine those ill-prepared Brexiters who have created the chaos in which we now exist.

The reason for my doubt is that I am sure the Devil is sufficiently astute to realise the difficulties that accepting such a band would bring and that doubtless the devil would ban them from his domain. I am sure if they were to be given their own corner of Hell they would immediately want a wall put up and insist that a name change to Helengland be adopted.

As therefore they cannot possibly head for Heaven and they will be barred from Hell then they will have to spend eternity in a Limbo. The same Limbo they have imposed on this country for over two years.

George Kay,

25 Kirkbank Road, Burntisland.

AT last, Donald Tusk says what a lot of people here have been saying too. There was no plan and no thought given to what could be expected after the referendum.

Steve Barnet,

Broom Park, Gargunnock.

GIVE that man a medal for the most honest accurate and bull****-free assessment of Brexit from any politician in the past two years. Well said, sir.

Douglas Jardine,

20 Buchlyvie Gardens, Bishopbriggs.

ROBERT Burns said: "O wad some Power the giftie gie us; To see oursels as ithers see us!" Well, one of our best European friends has enlightened us. The Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt later tweeted: "I doubt Lucifer wants them – they would try to divide hell."

Rev Dr John Cameron,

10 Howard Place, St Andrews.

IN the UK we have been inundated by horror stories about what will happen if there no Brexit deal. Yet the UK Government paid £13 billion into the EU budget with the EU spending on the UK £4bn. Why then, is the UK Government not spelling out to the EU the effect this will have on them if there is no deal?

John Connor,

David Henderson Court, Dunfermline.

ON the subject of the Brexiters' strategy of misinformation and outright lies I assume that a number of your readers will have watched the BBC’s Silent Witness on Tuesday evening (February 5). Those who did would have noted the closing words: “The opposite of truth is not just a lie. It is chaos. It brings about the downfall of the institutions we depend on to deliver justice.” How appropriate.

In spite of being a line from a fictional series surely it is an observation which can so readily be applied to the fanatical Brexiters’ intentions.

John Milne,

9 Ardgowan Drive, Uddingston.

GUY Verhofstad of the EU Parliament has confirmed that Theresa May had told MEPs that there had to be a backstop “of some kind” in the Withdrawal Agreement.

So what has been achieved after her dash from Northern Ireland to Brussels? Jean-Claude Juncker has always said the Withdrawal Agreement could not be renegotiated. So it remains that the post-Brexit period is to be the forum for an accelerated discussion on a future relationship. Back to square one again. So what happens to the original Withdrawal Agreement in Parliament now?

What the European Research Group, the DUP and hard Brexiters will make of it is anyone’s guess. So nothing has even done, nor could be done, after the demands that the backstop be removed.

All through this process the EU has dictated the terms and conditions, as expected. The UK is negotiating to leave and then agree a relationship, it was always going to be on the backfoot over the backstop, which ironically was Mrs May’s proposal. It has been a not so joyous merry-go-round for Mrs May.

So we must wait longer to see what details emerge from HMG. Nothing was presented to Brussels today (February 7). How could it happen anyhow? The Withdrawal Agreement is in limbo. This convoluted non-progress is as confusing as the original Schleswig-Holstein Question in the 19th century..

Jeremy Corbyn’s unilateral intervention with his letter to Theresa May with his “demands” adds even more imponderables to the backstop or backstop of a sort question! And Sir Keir Starmer insists that a second referendum is still a possibility. The original “alternative” to the backstop is now one “of a sort”. What next?

John Edgar,

1a Langmuir Quadrant, Kilmaurs.

RUTH Marr (Letters, February 7) reminds us of “the 62 per cent vote in Scotland to remain within the EU” but neglects to remind us that 67 per cent of the electorate voted and thus 41.5 per cent of the electorate voted to remain. Not impressive.

A referendum is such a powerful tool – the people exercising sovereignty (this phrase defining democracy), Parliament upstaged, politicians potentially eclipsed – that voting in a referendum should be compulsory, with those who fail to vote subject to financial sanction.

William Durward,

20 South Erskine Park, Bearsden.