YP Letters: Generation gap over Europe is not down to selfishness

THE bitterness amongst the young about the Brexit result is really painful to hear. They seem to have missed the point that the repatriation of sovereign powers to the UK means that they get to vote every five years for the rest of their lives for the government and the policies they want, and the majority view prevails.

If they are dissatisfied with how the current government performs, they get an opportunity to vote them out next time. With the EU, you can’t. We, the older generation, voted in a referendum in 1975 for the Common Market with an overwhelming majority in favour. The political powers of the EU which we have now is not at all what we voted for, it was implemented over our heads and the same thing could happen to the next generation.

Most of us have children and grandchildren of our own and the suggestion that we have voted for simply selfish reasons is deeply upsetting. We all care deeply about our families and we are trying to protect them.

From: Dick Ockelton, Willow Court, Stamford Bridge, York.

IN the midst of the all the hullabaloo around “getting our country back”, a single, sad, sobering statistic speaks volumes. It is heartbreaking. In the voting age profile breakdown, those aged under 44 voted overwhelmingly to stay.

They are the generation who were born as Europeans, grew up as Europeans, were proud to be Europeans and wanted to remain Europeans. We, the elderly, in voting to regain our own perceived identities, have deprived two generations of theirs. What a legacy! Let’s hope they can forgive us.

From: Mr KJ Playforth, Park Avenue, Roundhay, Leeds.

ONCE again, I find myself questioning whether we are a true democracy. A momentous decision to leave the EU is based on a vote by a mere 37.5 per cent of those eligible to vote.

Surely the time has come for politicians to legislate for the Australian system whereby everybody must vote or face legal consequences? Surely only when a majority of all the electorate is in favour of a course of action can we truly say this is a democratic decision. At 85 years of age, I have never failed to cast my vote.

From: Dr Glyn Powell, Bakersfield Drive, Kellington.

THE British people must be congratulated for ignoring the hollow threats of bankers, the political elite and the so-called economic experts by voting to leave the failed EU project.