No charge, but no votes... and no change from Theresa May

A tour bus passes anti-Brexit banners outside the Houses of Parliament. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA. - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

Readers welcome the scrapping of charges for EU citizens and have thoughts on ideas for Theresa May’s Plan B.

The announcement of the scrapping of the charge for application for settled status of EU citizens is to be welcomed.

The government should go one step further and grant to these same citizens the right to vote. Many have lived here most of their life (and certainly more than five years). They are husbands, wives, partners with British-born children. They have a genuine interest and love for this country.

Indeed, it is evident that they know more than the Brexiter who told me ‘I voted because of immigration. I don’t want the Africans to come’ and who thought eastern European countries were still part of Russia.

Coincidentally, at an estimated 2.9 million, they would outnumber the 1.3 million who are considered to represent ‘the will of the people’.

Mark J. Philpot, Mold

If Theresa May really had listened, she could have delivered a Plan B that:

• Saves the country £39 billion of the ‘divorce payment’ agreement;

• Guarantees there is not a cliff edge no-deal, saving billions in planning;

• Maintains free trade in goods and services with the EU, giving businesses the certainty they need;

• Guarantees the rights of EU citizens in this country, and those of the UK living in the EU27;

• Guarantees a frictionless border in Ireland, which will fully honour the Good Friday Agreement, while not incurring any extra cost.

All she had to do was tell the country: ‘There is no majority in Parliament for the negotiated EU deal, for no-deal, for a Norway-style deal or a Canada-style deal. We need more time as a country to agree the best course of action. Therefore I am today writing to the EU, rescinding Article 50, as is the UK’s legal right, as established recently by the ECJ.’

Brian Crook, Berkshire

A nation that is incapable of properly managing its own departure from the EU should, for its own good, stay in the EU.

Rod Logan, Walton-on-Thames

• What do you think? Send your letters for publication to letters@theneweuropean.co.uk and read all of our letters by picking up a copy of our newspaper every Thursday.