‘Associate citizenship’ gives us Remainers some hope for the future
Since the election it feels like the millions of people who were against Brexit have taken a body blow and can’t find a way off the ropes. ‘Associate citizenship’ gives us back some hope.
I fully support the idea. As humans, we face our biggest existential crisis – the failure of our biosphere. We can only come through this by working together. Anything that divides us further at this critical juncture is disastrous.
Associate citizenship, which gives freedom of movement to those who want it, means that valuable collaborations can continue and that the next generation can grow up to understand themselves as part of a greater whole and be able to contribute more fully to building a world with a future.
At present, it feels like we have been violently mugged. Wholly against our will, something that has huge value has been taken away from us by a brutish force operating with little morality or legitimacy. Without it our lives and those of our children are restricted and impoverished, and our ability to build a brighter future is horribly handicapped.
I look forward to supporting a campaign for associate citizenship.
Cindy Forde
Cambridge
I am passionate about how we secure the best possible future relationship with the European Union. And my spirits were lifted to hear Sadiq Khan reprise calls for an “associate citizenship”. It is a sensible way for some to retain socio-political links across the continent while others can assert their newly-proclaimed independence. For me, no price would be too high to signal my commitment to friends and family in the EU.
Dr Richard Longman
Solihull
Time to take a bow and exit
The UK electorate, including those within the Labour Party itself, have given one of the clearest messages of all time that they don’t want a government which promotes Marxist and communist ideology. Is it not well overdue that Labour’s old guard, from the top downwards, should swiftly bow out and support the establishment of a newly realigned and creditable opposition party and forestall further erosion to democracy?
Peter Smith
Address supplied
Flood protection is an urgent priority
The current flooding problems caused by storm Dennis are not new nor unexpected. There are towns, like Hebden Bridge, which flood regularly as a result of any heavy rainfall. Surely there must be the engineering facilities available to install water channels, redirect water courses, build flood barriers and use other water management strategies to avoid the continual flooding which devastates the lives of residents in flood susceptible areas.
The government has plans for the infrastructure of roads, trains and buses but the infrastructure of water management is much more urgent, given the climatic predictions, and upon which the trains and buses rely for effective operation. If the country is to avoid flooding disasters in the future such a plan is of the utmost importance.
D Corey
Redcar
A waste of the PM’s time
I find it difficult to spend my time agreeing with Boris Johnson, but I do not see that the time of a prime minister, or president for that matter, is well spent attending natural disasters. His job is to coordinate the country’s long-term priorities, which need all the help they can get. If a politician is really needed for a short-term emergency, then in this case it would be the environment secretary or perhaps the secretary of state for defence. People should move away from the expectation that the PM should be some type of distress totem.
Cole Davis
Norwich
No Corbyn clones
The disastrous election result for the Labour Party surely begs the question – why has Jeremy Corbyn still got so much influence in the party? It must be unprecedented that a party leader who has caused such a negative outcome should still be appearing at the despatch box and continuing to influence the election of a new party leader.
If Labour are hoping to ever win another election, they would be wise not to elect a clone of Corbyn in Rebecca Long-Bailey, who would offer him a place in her shadow cabinet.
Janet Lewis
Bournemouth
