MY FIRST reaction to Siobhan Baillie’s call for David Drew to resign should a second EU referendum be called (Stroud News and Journal, January 15), was to give it the attention it deserved and take no notice, writes Paul Halas.

But reflecting on the scenes in the Commons during the No Confidence debate, which turned into a massive Tory harangue against Jeremy Corbyn rather than a discussion of the matter at hand, I changed my mind.

Every slur in the book was trotted out and then some, in order of course to deflect attention from a failing government – unless you count the devastating results of austerity as something positive – and a widely distrusted and disliked prime-minister who’s been clinging to the wreckage since June 2017.

The Brexit fiasco is just one page in an encyclopedia of incompetence.

Attack is seen as the best form of defence, especially when defending the indefensible.

So Ms Baillie’s meretricious comment really has to be seen for what it is: a distraction at a desperate time for her party – for which she’ll probably earn a brownie point or two.

The truth is, no one seriously considers David Drew’s comments on referenda are worthy of resigning over – especially during the aftermath of Mrs May staying put after sustaining the biggest Commons defeat in history.

Hopefully the death throes of this callous government won’t continue for too much longer, and we can start the long process of repairing the damage.

Paul Halas

Stroud