Remember this mixture of motives for Brexit voters – Yorkshire Post letters

BILL Carmichael (The Yorkshire Post, May 31) again desperately twists the facts to assert that the results of the recent EU elections clearly show that there is an overwhelming majority of voters against EU membership.

It is in fact now 5-0 to Brexiteers over Remainers and here’s how – Bill Carmichael

The results show that in Britain the electorate is still deeply divided, but that there is a large proportion of voters in favour of Remain. In other countries there is no majority for Leave. Even in France and Italy where right-wing Eurosceptic parties made gains, there is no desire to leave the organisation.

He uses a sporting analogy stretched beyond its limits to support his argument. Football league positions are the record of individual team performance, each team has nothing in common with any other except that they play to the same set of rules. Those who voted Remain had a common interest in retaining the benefits of EU membership, whereas the Leavers had a mixture of reasons from the lofty ideals of sovereignty through the sense of economic injustice, to the baser aspects of xenophobia.

An evenly-balanced referendum result, cutting across the constitutional process of representative democracy, was always going to result in a constitutional crisis.

MPs of all parties promised to respect the result of the 2016 referendum, and this they have endeavoured to do for three years. The so called man of the people – public school-educated, ex-City trader Nigel Farage with his undemocratic party of self–appointed candidates – does not have the solution to our current problems.

A further referendum might well produce a different result, but the underlying problem would remain unless the majority was similar to the 66 per cent in favour recorded in the first referendum held in 
1975. The only practical way to end this nonsense before October is for the members of our sovereign Parliament to rise above the demands of personal popularity and act in the interests of the country to revoke Article 50.

From: John Turley, Dronfield Woodhouse.

JUST suppose Remain had narrowly won the 2016 EU referendum. I don’t think things would have been that much different from what they are now. Ukip or the Brexit Party (if still formed) would have done well in the EU elections, and contrary to what many Brexiteers claim about accepting the referendum result if it had gone the other way, this time it would be Nigel Farage demanding another EU referendum.

In addition Boris Johnson would probably be planning to challenge David Cameron for the leadership of the Conservative Party, intending to stand on a pro-Brexit ticket at the 2020 general election.

Good sense from Leadsom

From: Stephen R Hill, Todwick, Sheffield.

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY endorse Shaun Kavanagh’s letter (The Yorkshire Post, June 3).

After watching The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning I was immediately struck by
the controlled and sensible answers given by Andrea Leadsom and immediately realised that Brexit would have happened if she had become Prime Minister in 2016.

As it was, she was decent and honourable, in withdrawing from the contest between herself and Theresa May, having made, I am sure without any malice, the remark that Theresa May didn’t have any children, realising that she may have caused personal hurt.

It was also very nice to see how she dealt with the continual interruptions by Andrew Marr and made her points forcefully and clearly.

PCSOs play a vital role

From: Shane Sweeting, Regional Officer, Unite.

WE welcome the increase in the number of police officers in South Yorkshire, but it should not be at the expense of the PCSOs who do valuable and vital work in communities underpinning the police service.

PCSOs are particularly needed at key times when anti-social behaviour occurs, such as late evenings and weekends – and that is a very good reason 
why their numbers should not be cut.

Overall, we think this decision is detrimental to good policing across South Yorkshire – there needs to be a balance between the police with warranted powers of arrest and the important community work that the PCSOs do on a daily basis.

We will be seeking an urgent meeting with the South Yorkshire Police about the future role, pay and employment conditions of our members.

From: Mr A Davies, Augusta Park, Grimsby.

WHERE are all the police when we need them? In answer to readers, a police officer working a 38-hour week, and about 45 weeks per year, will be on duty for about 1,710 hours per year over 52 weeks. This comes to about 33 hours per week. And why do we not have a bobby on every street corner? There are more street corners than bobbies.

Narrow view of class divide

From: Frank Bond, Fenwick, Doncaster.

DO readers seriously think that only the richest segment of society watch Strictly Come Dancing and the poorest segment the Jeremy Kyle Show?

I can assure them that my 
wife and many of her friends 
and relatives, who are all 
working class, absolutely love Strictly and I have some very wealthy friends who regularly watched Jeremy Kyle.

It is irresponsible comments like this that split the nation in two and promote class distinction.