Letters | 6 June 2019

Trump and Brexit

Sir: Your leading article (‘The Trump card’, 1 June) states that ‘May’s successor should seek to capitalise on Team Trump’s enthusiasm for Brexit’.

President Trump — the leader of by far our most important political, economic and military ally — has always respected what most British MPs have chosen to ignore: that the British people voted to leave the European Union. Assuming that the Conservative party wants to survive, it must choose a proven vote-winning leader who is determined to leave the European Union on WTO terms by 31 October this year, unless the EU has agreed by that date to a convincing, substantial improvement to its current offer. If the new prime minister commits to doing that, it’s likely that Nigel Farage would join forces with the Conservatives in a general election. And if the Tory party is so foolish as to elect a Remainer, don’t be surprised if a vote-winner such as Boris Johnson electrifies the British people by joining the Brexit party. Such an alliance of Leavers would surely win a general election, and handsomely, at a time when millions of Labour and Conservative voters are crying out for no-nonsense political leaders.

Winston Churchill, so admired by millions including Boris Johnson, defected to the Liberal party, then rejoined the Conservatives. Donald Trump, a Democrat, ran for President as a Republican. In politics, as in war, a true leader does whatever has to be done to win. Is it only President Trump who understands this?
Hugo Anson

London W11

Power to the people

Sir: Jonathan Sumption (Diary, 1 June) states that there was ‘not much’ that ‘British politics could learn from the United States’. In fact, the UK could learn a lot. The US constitution has successfully preserved democracy by ensuring that power remains vested in the people.