It's now clear what Brexit sovereignty means

Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a media briefing in Downing Street - Credit: PA

The sovereignty promised in the EU referendum only benefits the Tory party

Alastair Campbell’s description of Johnson as a sado-populist was profoundly illuminating. We were already conscious of the government’s apparent contempt for whole swathes of society, including its lethargic response to well documented inequalities and the absurdly inadequate approach to “levelling up”, whatever that means.

But the article’s identification of these as deliberate acts of contempt explains much. The populist encouragement of jealousy, blame and rivalry combined with a disdain for parliamentary procedures, probity and tradition are clearly designed to create public distrust in government and its structures. Proposed laws limiting the right to demonstrate and to vote will deliberately exacerbate relations between public and police, voter and representation. The integrity of society is being ruthlessly torn apart round us.

It is now clear what “sovereignty” meant: not of the people, or parliament, but the party, cabinet and leader.

Roger Iredale,
Emeritus Professor, University of Manchester

“Taking the knee is now a simple, bold statement that you reject racism. And if that’s an issue for a channel or government, it’s a big problem for all of us” – Guto Harri.

In 31 words Guto Harri has nailed it. The fact that ‘taking the knee’ has become an issue for the Conservative government and its enablers in the media is deeply troubling.

Will Goble, Rayleigh

I think I’ve identified the perfect person to take over the role of 007 once Daniel Craig’s tenure has come to an end. It needs to be someone who, perhaps somewhat implausibly, is able to remain incredibly popular – retaining public trust and admiration in spite of their often quite questionable ethics; someone who seems to lead a charmed life, dotted with good fortune and narrow escapes; someone whose needlessly-risky actions – which often leave a trail of carnage and corpses in their wake – somehow always escape censure despite often being accompanied by inappropriate quips.

It strikes me that there’s one person who might have been born for this role.

Step forward Boris Johnson.

“The name’s Blond. Jammy Blond.”

Julian Self

• Have your say by emailing letters@theneweuropean.co.uk. Our deadline for letters is Monday at 9am for inclusion in Thursday’s edition. Please be concise – letters over five paragraphs long may be edited before printing