Why it’s wrong to blame Labour for the failed Brexit deal - Yorkshire Post Letters

I’m happy to criticise Labour on the topic of Brexit when deserved. Party leader Sir Keir Starmer made a serious strategic error whipping his MPs to vote in favour of Boris Johnson’s dreadful Brexit deal in December 2020.

There was no risk of us crashing out of the European Union without a deal had Labour MPs simply abstained.

Nor has Sir Keir and key lieutenants such as his Shadow Chancellor, Leeds West MP, Rachel Reeves, done as much as they could have done to undo that mistake; much left to do before the General Election, then.

But Adrian F Sunman (The Yorkshire Post, August 21) is wrong to say we should “lay the blame at Labour’s door” for the final EU agreement.

It was Tory MPs who ousted Theresa May and killed what Mr Sunman calls her “softer Brexit”, paving the way for Mr Johnson’s even more hardline deal.

By the way, Mr Sunman, it’s more common to refer to someone of my gender as “she” – not he.

Both your letter and the one from M K O’Sullivan that same day are examples of erstwhile Brexit cheerleaders agreeing what was promised hasn’t been delivered – but blaming anyone but those responsible for the disaster.

M K O’Sullivan showed a remarkable lack of sympathy for columnist Donatella Montrone and the experiences of other EU citizens in the wake of Brexit.

Nonetheless, he claims: “I did not vote Leave with feelings of hostility towards the EU and Europeans.”

Judging by contributions you receive from other pro-Brexit correspondents, some did or have subsequently been gaslit by dark forces such as social media and our prejudice, largely anti-EU press.

Again, they often acknowledge Brexit’s failure – but seek out scapegoats. Apparently, it’s failure is rarely the fault of those who sold, negotiated, and then implemented Brexit.

Although such views are well represented on your letters page, thankfully they’re diminishing amongst the public.

At the time of writing, the What UK Thinks website’s round-up of recent polls shows a clear majority (60 per cent) supporting Rejoin.