YP Letters: UK is swimming against the tide of history over Brexit

NOW that we are on the brink of leaving the EU, it seems we as a nation have never regarded ourselves as true Europeans. Our weakness with foreign languages is legendary and I suppose this is a symptom of our reluctance to engage with our near neighbours.

The history of Europe is a chequered one but past enmities between France and Germany have not prevented these countries from burying their past hostilities. We, on the other hand, tend to emphasise and dig up our differences.

True, we go abroad a lot but chiefly to the sunnier south Mediterranean, but we export our own customs and ways when we holiday or settle over there.

Our tendency to stand alone and plough our own furrow is behind the times in an increasingly interdependent world. It is an ingrained outlook and it’s probably too late to change now. Unfortunately we are swimming against the tide of history and it will go down as one of this country’s biggest blunders.

From: Ian Oglesby, Stamford Bridge, York.

RECENT letters have served as reminders of the sacrifices made by British, Commonwealth and American forces in order that Europe might escape from an evil regime.

Instead of gratitude, we are met with hostility in the Brexit negotiations. Telling us that we cannot cherry-pick the outcome is tantamount to offering us a poor deal so any promise of monies has to be conditional.

In any case, the EU is temporary, the super-state fanatics having made cardinal errors including an inward-looking trade area, the ill prepared common currency, the refusal to disclose any details of the enormous “administrative” costs and putting an unelected elite in charge.

Our referendum result was predictable and we have every justification in walking away.

From: Barrie Crowther, Walton, Wakefield.

THE vast majority of people who voted leave were not concerned about trade or the customs union. Immigration and the population explosion affecting everything in this country from the NHS to all public services being overloaded was the trigger for the 17 million vote.

I, and none of my contemporaries, can remember ever being asked if we wanted uncontrolled migration. This was imposed on this country without any thought of the consequences.

The housing crisis is a direct result of too many people wanting a place to live.