PLEASE keep your letters to 250 words maximum giving your name, address and daytime telephone number - even on emails. Email: letters@swindonadvertiser.co.uk. Write: Swindon Advertiser, Unit 1 and 2 Richmond House, Edison Park, Swindon, SN3 3RB. Phone: 01793 501806.

Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Plough on regardless

Having watched the BBC’s excellent two-part programme Brexit: Behind Closed Doors I was left in no doubt that the skill set of the EU negotiation team far excelled those of their UK counterparts.

In fact the level of incompetence demonstrated by the UK team often left Mr Barnier’s colleagues stumped as they tried to make sense of what they had heard – in fact, so absurd was the ineptitude of the UK negotiators that frequently the EU had to metaphorically pinch themselves to make sure they were not dreaming.

I must confess that for me it only confirmed the nightmare that Mrs May’s team never ever intended to negotiate a leave deal but rather set it’s stall to agree a compromise that kept the UK within the framework of the political construct of the EU.

On May 23 the UK will spend over £100 million on an election which a majority in the country neither expected or wanted to take place.

The Lib Dems have displayed their hand while demonstrating that playground politics is their stock in trade; B*****ks to Brexit may well earn them a grimace but I doubt it will resonate with the public who know a fault-ridden catchphrase when it is presented to them.

As for the Conservatives who lead their campaign with what I imagine will be seen as the huge lie it is, claim that ‘Theresa May is working tirelessly to pass a workable deal’ to which the cry must surely be another suppository please nurse! We all know that Mrs May is actually unable to pass ‘her’ deal which is a bad deal and as she has said so many times ‘No deal is better than a bad deal’. The number of people (not just the so-called political elite) who consider her deal to be far from ideal are being ignored as her vanity come to the fore.

The sad thing is that when the election results show that neither the Conservatives or Labour are trusted to deliver a deal which meets the test of the eferendum or the promises made in the 2017 general election; the party leaders will wring their hands and make soothing noises such as ‘we get it’ or ‘we understand’ and they will then ignore the people and plough on with their own agenda regardless – such is the way of modern politics.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive, Swindon

Question everything

Martin Webb (Advertiser, May 13) suggested I was more than a little irked with regards to the laughably titled anti-fascist group standing up for our moral decency. You are right, I do tend to get a bit annoyed when arrogant leftist idiots attempt to shut down our democratic process under the banner of fighting for truth, justice and the British way – give me a break.

Mr Webb suggests that these people are not against free speech, just hate speech. News for you Mr Webb, hate speech is subjective. So who decided that those that you are defending are the judge jury and arbiters of said hate speech? How do you think you have the right to define hate speech? Was there a vote, were these people elected by the masses to protect our morale sensibilities, or did the Lady of the Lake hold aloft Excalibur.

Mr Webb suggests that people need to confront his interpretation of what hate speech is. The best way to confront views you do not like is speech, you defeat bad ideas with good ideas. What you do not do is attempt to impose your will onto others – fascism (contempt for democracy ).

Finally, Mr Webb asks how I can link these lefties with racists, well I could just go down the road he went with his letter and say we live in a post-justification age where all you need to do these days is make the accusation with no evidence, as he did about UKIP.

That said, I will justify my claim. The picture showed the league of white nights fighting for the repressed ethnic minorities in distress, perpetually offended on somebody else’s behalf. Racism of low expectation.

Mr Webb, look at what is happening in Europe, open your eyes. This arrogance that you you think you can just label people that do not agree with you is failing.

People across Europe are no longer prepared to put up with that nonsense. The more you try to shut down their right to be heard the more openings you create for people you claim to dislike. Tolerance works both ways.

I believe in free speech, I believe everybody has the right to be heard, including you. However that’s the difference, I do not claim to be better than anyone else.

We learn as a society by questioning everything not by indoctrination.

Craig Halliday, Mulberry Grove, Swindon