MPs defying voters over Brexit makes a mockery of political system - Yorkshire Post letters

Unbelievable! Roger Backhouse continues bleating that Wakefield’s ex-MP Mary Creagh did right to ignore the 67 per cent leave mandate of her constituents (The Yorkshire Post, January 9).

Maybe Jeremy Corbyn should be doing the same as Creagh did and ignore the overwhelming mandate given to Boris Johnson on December 12.

Ousted MP Mary Creagh was right to defy Wakefield voters over Brexit – Yorkshire Post Letters

Sorry to have to inform you Mr Backhouse but that will not happen simply because democracy in the UK is still alive and kicking whether it pleases you or many others, or not.

From: Thomas W Jefferson, Batty Lane, Howden, Goole.

Roger Backhouse quotes the Burkian principle that our MPs are there to vote as guided by their consciences rather than to obey the electorate’s wishes.

But our constitution has been updated in a way Burke could not have envisaged, to include the use of the referendum, which in the case of the EU we were told would be respected by Parliament, thereby charging MPs with that responsibility.

As for Labour MPs in Leave constituencies losing their seats even though they supported Brexit legislation, that’s because the electorate didn’t trust a Labour government to deliver Brexit so they voted Tory. Where a Remain constituency returned a Leave MP, that simply shows that the majority of Remainers are sensible democrats who know the referendum must be respected.

From: Shaun Kavanagh, Leeds.

Reading Roger Backhouse’s comments, many will totally disagree with his belief that “He sees no reason for MPs to always vote with their constituents”.

If that is the case then what was the point of the 2016 referendum if not a directive to MPs to do what the people wanted? To allow MPs to merely do as they wish then there is no point in anyone voting or the people having a say. Everyone has an opinion but Mr Backhouse seems deluded in his.

I still cannot understand why anyone would vote for Boris Johnson - Yorkshire Post Letters

If MPs fail to act on the wishes of their constituents it makes a mockery of the political system plus any form of referendum which would ultimately deny the wants of the people. MPs are representative of the people and not highly paid to be in office to vote based merely on their personal opinions.

Edmund Burke an 18th Century politician, good as he might have been, was wrong in that MPs should not necessarily vote in accordance with constituent wishes.

As for the constantly anti EEC and EU opinions of Dennis Skinner losing his seat in the General Election because of his beliefs is not necessarily correct but more likely a case of voters being against the ideals of the Labour party leadership and its manifesto, thereby creating a “jumping of ship” approach?

Get real Mr Backhouse. MPs are paid to be servants of the people and not appointed to act as lone wolves.