As a Liberal Democrat councillor, I can see we've misread the public mood on Brexit

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I am a Liberal Democrat county councillor and I believe strongly that our party has rather misread the current mood of the British people. In our zeal to ride the wave of popularity that has seen our polling increase well recently, we have jumped on our own bandwagon and left the driver behind. Our recent policy of cancelling Brexit is not a vote winner, it will merely retain the votes of people who will vote for us anyway. Labour are steadily disaffecting their own voters without us needing to help them; indeed disillusioned Labour Remain voters will vote for us without this policy. Disillusioned Conservative voters, however, will not, they will resent this policy as undemocratic and probably now vote Conservative again through Brexit-fatigue.

I cannot urge the Lib Dem leadership strongly enough to scrap this policy and campaign for a more inclusive one, such as a second referendum.

I firmly believe that we can even attract a modest flock of former Leave voters if we shout about the facts in the right way. This is something that the British people can get behind and feel a level of pathos and pride in doing so.

Abigail MacCartney
Oakham

Stop treating vulnerable refugees and migrants like criminals

The deaths of 39 people found in a container lorry in Essex is a major tragedy and a stark reminder of the human cost of a system which treats some of the most vulnerable people in the continent as if they were criminals.

Those fleeing poverty and war are increasingly forced to turn to traffickers to join their families and communities in countries like Britain. The “Fortress Europe” policy, including the abandonment of search and rescue operations, has turned the Mediterranean Sea into a graveyard as thousands have been drowned.

The government’s “hostile environment”, including the lack of safe legal routes for people to apply for asylum to Britain, means that every day people seeking safety undertake highly dangerous journeys. Without legal routes to claim asylum, smugglers and traffickers will keep exploiting these vulnerable people and avoidable deaths will continue.

The UN conventions on refugees that followed the Second World War were a powerful response to the horrors of the Holocaust. Now far-right voices are becoming emboldened to dehumanise those seeking refuge and those rights are being eroded. It is vital we learn the lessons of the past.

The long-standing demands of campaigners and NGOs to ensure safe passage and treat migrants and refugees seeking to enter Britain in a fair and humane manner must now be considered as a matter of urgency. Instead of scapegoating and denying the rights of refugees and migrants, western governments should be welcoming them, offering support and celebrating the contribution they can make to our society.

Diane Abbott MP, shadow home secretary

Lord Alf Dubs

Ben Okri, poet and novelist

Michael Rosen, writer

Sabby Dhalu and Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co-convenors

Clare Moseley, Care4Calais

Nazek Ramadan, director of Migrant Voice

Rosario Guimba-Stewart, Lewisham Refugee & Migrant Network CEO

Kevin Courtney, NEU joint general secretary,

Ronnie Draper, BFAWU general secretary

Catherine West MP

David Lammy MP

Emma Dent Coad MP

Andrew Slaughter MP

Julie Ward MEP

Rokhsana Fiaz, mayor of Newham

Harun Khan, Muslim Council of Britain secretary general

Julia Bard, Jewish Socialist Group

Louise Raw, author

Francesca Martinez, comedian and writer

Dr Shahrar Ali, Green Party home affairs spokesperson

Talha Ahmad

Lindsey German, Stop the War Coalition

Zita Holbourne, Barac UK

Maz Saleem, campaigner

Salma Yaqoob, campaigner

Bell Ribeiro-Addy, campaigner

Downing Street? More like Drowning Street

No 10 Downing Street, the home of the prime minister, dates back to the year 1684.

In view of our present-day political upheavals, endless Brexit extensions and indecisions, would it not be appropriate to rename this once noble address to 10 Drowning Street?

Gunter Straub​
London

Is Kwasi Kwarteng stumbling at the first hurdle?

Spelthorne MP Kwasi Kwarteng is clearly a rising star in the Tory party. However, just recently, he appears to be stumbling.

For example, he has played down the report that workers’ rights will be diluted after Brexit. Yet an internal UK government memo did (according to the BBC) single out the removal of the word “adequate” from the UK-EU political declaration. The weaker word “appropriate” was put in its place.

Kwarteng may be popular among his fellow Conservatives, but one wonders whether he is commending himself to the broader swathe of voters.

Andrew McLuskey​
Ashford

Keep illegal drugs illegal

Once again, there are many “experts” suggesting that various illegal drugs should be legalised. The only possible result of that is the destruction of society and further spread of lawlessness. We should instead teach our kids about the dangers of illegal drugs.

Fred Nicholson
Essex

Love him or loathe him, Boris Johnson is perplexing

Boris Johnson is praised by his supporters as a political leader committed to a cause he believes to be in the interest of his country. His opponents accuse him of opportunism and personal ambition. But there is evidence to contradict either view.

Sending an unsigned letter to Europeans, so reminiscent of King James II’s throwing the Great Seal of the Realm in the Thames to disrupt the business of the state, is not the reaction to a political setback expected of a man of statesmanship. At the same time, his insistence on actually taking the UK out of Europe is hardly an indication of political shrewdness, let alone opportunism and personal ambition. In the most optimistic appraisal, Brexit is very likely to result in a prolonged period of decline before the economy slowly pulls itself together – the worst scenario for a prime minister hoping to stay in office.

In contrast, retaining EU membership is bound to raise confidence, boost the economy at least in the short-run and let the government take credit for it. A canny premier would let Brexit slip out of his hands and claim the reward.

Hamid Elyassi​
London