FREQUENT correspondent Ira Fishman (Letters, January 23, 'The UK has what's needed to flourish') appears to be setting the EU up as "fall guy" for the distinctly possible failure of Johnson's government to cobble together a deal in its self-imposed deadline of 11 months: “...we continue to face sentiments and strategies of contrariness from our alleged friends”. In not bending over backwards for a non-member? It is hardly a surprise.

Entry to this government was restricted to those swearing unquestioning allegiance to any and every form of Brexit, severely circumscribing the talent pool, and over-representing those hostile to the organisation and naive over practicalities. This is hardly a recipe for success.

This has been foisted on the nation by people paying lip service to democracy while refusing any say to the regions, and insisting that a narrow margin four years ago is the last word, since no subsequent vote isolated the question nor delivered a Leave majority when counted the same way.

I never felt less like ‘uniting’ with such people.

Allan Miller

Sedgwick