YP Letters: Accept the EU verdict, Lord Ashdown

WHO is Lord Ashdown trying to kid? He claims his new political movement is all about”ordinary people” and “giveing a voice to the voiceless” (The Yorkshire Post, July 28).

Then he reveals his main supporters are Martha Lane Fox, Simon Schama and Dan Snow – all multi-millionaires and Oxbridge educated. And in 
Dan Snow’s case, the son-in-law of Britain’s wealthiest 
landowner, the Duke of Westminster.

I suspect the true reason for Lord Ashdown’s action is two-fold; his anger at the near-annihilation suffered by the Liberal Democrats at the last election and Brexit from his beloved EU.

He has made no secret that his chief motive is a second referendum at some point to rejoin the EU through funding those politicians who support “our principles” at future general elections – replacing those incumbents who hold alternative views.

Ominously, it appears that Lord Ashdown is attempting to maintain the Westminster elite protocol of demanding we vote for what they require us to.

The people have spoken, Lord Ashdown, you should accept the majority verdict – and we are still waiting for you to eat your hat from the 2015 General Election.

From: Nick Martinek, Briarlyn Road, Huddersfield.

IN the second half of the 20th century, over 60 nations took their independence from the British Empire. For every one it was “a leap in the dark”. No longer would they be guided by the wise men appointed by the elected government in London. No longer protected from the outside world.

Sounds familiar? It should. The UK is about to take its own leap out of the crisis-ridden EU. If our former colonies did not flinch, why should we? Take courage.

Every one of them had a smaller economy than the UK’s. Every one of them had less experience than the British in government, trade and security. But they leapt at the opportunity.

From: M Hutchinson, Simpson Close, Barton on Humber.

SHORTLY after we entered the Common Market, my wife and I were on holiday in Rome.

We were looking for somewhere to have a meal when we spotted a restaurant with a board outside saying ‘set three- course menu, no service charge’.

We asked the man at the door to make sure there was no service charge and he assured us this was correct.

He took us in showed us to a table and the restaurant was quite full. We thought this was a good sign.

When the bill came at the end of the meal, there was a large service charge. The waiter informed me it was for the tablecloth. I was so angry I walked up to the desk and informed them I wasn’t paying this extra amount.

With that, an Australian walked up to the side of me, slammed his bill down, said he was not paying either and said he would never understand how the British joined the then EEC. “They have had their hands in my back pocket ever since I came to Europe”.

These words have stayed with me throughout the years.

From: Geoff Sweeting, Wressle, Selby.

I AM astonished by the arrogance of John Cole in your newspaper (The Yorkshire Post, July 21). To suggest that the Brexiteers had no understanding of what they were voting for in the recent referendum is an insult to their intelligence.

I would suggest that there were various reasons, the main one being the return of our sovereignty, but all 17 million 
plus of us knew what we were doing.

The only parts of our country that voted Remain were the financial areas of London and Leeds, plus of course, Scotland – enough said.

History tells us that all empires fail and for the same reason – the suppressed natives rise up against their masters. This movement is taking place all over Europe and, once again, we are leading the way.

What is it about democracy that the Remainers don’t understand?

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

FAR from punishing the UK for the Brexit result, the G20 countries seem to have realised that their economy is intertwined with ours and we are the fifth strongest economy in the world.

I hope all the Remain voters will finally accept that the referendum decision was not the disaster they all thought it was.

From: Mr C Christie, Swanland Road, Helmsley, York.

THE letter from John Cole (The Yorkshire Post, July 21) demonstrates the inability of some of the Remain camp to accept the facts.

That a majority of one million is “finely balanced” must be the new Remain mathematics.

Get real, Mr Cole, and stop moaning. You lost.

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

WE hear there are moves afoot for a Brexit-lite deal giving access to the single market on the existing basis with some limitation on immigration. This would certainly be a good way to rescue this country from the mess created by its blundering politicians.

What is at stake is nothing short of the economic health of the country.

It is time to relegate a flawed referendum to the back burner and for the Conservatives to stop pandering to the prejudices of its Europhobes.

In a Parliamentary democracy, the will of the elected members should take precedence over a referendum and vote in the Commons would produce a decisive majority to remain.

Staying in the EU would sort out the Scottish problem by reducing the risk of a second referendum north of the border.

It is time for Parliament to reassert its authority which would be constitutionally appropriate.