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Short memories

Brian Matthew the Lib Dem parliamentary hopeful suggests that a people’s vote is what is need to break the Brexit impasse (SA, October 23).

His party leader Jo Swinson said in 2008 that she was in favour of an in-out referendum, indeed Lib Dem policy in 2010 was exactly the same.

And we all know that Nick Clegg was the poster boy who begged the British people to support the Lib Dems by signing a petition demanding the Government hold a referendum.

Finally, another of the party’s leaders, the late Paddy Ashdown said “Those who asked for this, and I was the first leader ever to ask for a referendum in 1989/90, have said so because they believe in the act of democracy. I will forgive no one who does not accept the sovereign voice of the British people one it has spoken whether it’s by one percent or 20 percent. “It’s our duty to serve the public and make sure our country does the best it can with the decision people have given us.

Today Brian Matthew joins a long list of Lib Dems who seem to have forgotten their history and have failed to appreciate that they got what they asked for, a referendum with a question framed in exactly the way Paddy Ashdown demanded. Indeed he was confident “that a UK referendum on EU membership can be won, so long as the question is framed in ‘yes/no’ terms.”

His confidence was proved to be misplaced, and he lost.

Will another referendum resolve the issue? I fear not, and for one simple reason. The public, with justification will never ever again believe the word of a politician.

Many of your readers will note that what Brian Matthew is now calling for is a referendum where the question will not be ‘in or out’ but will be a choice between a bad deal (according to Mr Matthew) and Remain.

What the Lib Dems wish to do is subvert democracy and refuse the people the choice to Leave.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive

Stop blocking Brexit

Back in the day we in the Crook household who were old enough to vote always voted Labour back than in the 50s, 60s and 70s. The voters in the houses, my grandparents houses they would always vote Labour. The neighbour’s in the council housing estates voted Labour(and proud).

I remember once asking my parents why do you always vote Labour the answer I got was because the Labour party are the peoples party.

Oh how different the Labour party is today in 2019, every time this blasted Brexit fiasco seems to be gaining some ground by at last a can do PM up jump all these arrogant MPs, mainly Labour MPs and they just poison it, just through bloodymindedness.

All because it’s being led by a Tory PM. Not one of those Brexit blockers has ever put an alternative plan on the table. All I hear is we are not letting that through not doing things our way I’m throwing my toys out of the pram spitting out my dummy I am not listening to my constituents who voted me in on my platform off we are leaving the EU and I’ll make sure my vote goes to supporting the Leave campaign but have now reneged on all your promises.

All those MPs who have turned against your own party. Al those MPs who have turned on your own constituents best start thinking about where the nearest job centres are because if a general election comes along you will not be getting re-elected. At long last we have a Prime Minster who wants to get Brexit done along with the 17.4 million plus or minus a few. Love him or loathe him Boris is a can do man his mind is made up he’s done more in 88 days in office than the whole of Parliament put together over the past three years.

John L Crook, Haydon Wick