Solving the Brexit impasse will require an overhaul of the system

Our readers have their say on Brexit, food waste, tourism in Dubai and Chris Hemsworth

Activists hold placards and wave EU flags during an anti-government protest calling for the Prime Minister's resignation, outside Downing Street in central London on September 7, 2019.  Britain's upper house on Friday gave final approval to a law that would force Boris Johnson to delay Brexit, in a fresh setback for the British Prime Minister who is struggling in his bid to call an early election. / AFP / DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS
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I write to you in reference to your editorial Brexit has posited a crisis of conviction and principle (September 5).

Your editorial above is right to hold out hope the United Kingdom will resolve the current Brexit impasse. But to avoid such crisis in future will require more than the enormous task of codifying the British constitution that you suggest. It will require systematic electoral reform as a pre-requisite to setting out a new framework for governance.

The current impasse has been directly contributed to by the "will of the country" being frustrated by the vagaries of the "first past the post" voting system. It has unfairly silenced the power and the voice of those winning many votes but disproportionately few parliamentary seats. The current stalemate has it's roots in this democratic distortion. To rewrite the British constitution without first addressing this will be to build castles on sand.

Likewise your editorial faith in a codified constitution may, alas, not the be the panacea you believe it to be. The law, however framed, is only as fair and just as those charged with executing it. Events in parliament this week provide ample and worrisome evidence of this. It is in responsible, open and fair minded government that the peaceful and dignified resolution of national issues rests not in the letter of the law.

Richard Wynne-Jones, Dubai

Let us donate discarded food to those who need it

I write to you in reference to Rashmee Roshan Lall's article Humans can no longer wait for a recession to consume less (September 4). It is really great that this problem is being exposed and addressed in these pages. I do hope that at least some of our leftover food can find its way to charities and animal rescue groups to help feed hungry pets that have been abandoned and left to roam the streets in the scorching heat.

Lorraine Ludman, Dubai

India is one small step away from making a giant leap to the Moon

Your article India loses contact with moon probe amid fear of mission failure (September 6) was a good read.The dreams of 1.3 billion people were thwarted when the space agency lost communication before the landing in this much-awaited historical event.

Nevertheless, the hardworking scientists involved must be commended for their sterling efforts.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru

Working with Chris Hemsworth is just as cool as it sounds

I write to you in reference to Farah Andrews' article Chris Hemsworth stars in a new property advert filmed in Dubai (September 4). It was such a pleasure to work with Chris Hemsworth. Our whole team fell in love with him when he came to shoot an ad in Dubai.

Karalynn Thomson, CEO of The Animal Agency, UAE