A common error?

I thank Mr Hughes for his letter, (Star, December 31, 2016), and kind words about my EU Referendum letter.
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I accept that based on the information he has provided MPs kept the decision to actually leave the European Union to themselves.

However, if my well-worded argument is based on an error, I respectfully submit that this same error was shared by the majority of the British electorate when they voted in the referendum.

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While the House of Commons briefing paper advised MPs that the referendum was pre-legislative/consultative and only advisory, the fact remains that the electorate was not generally made aware of this when the vote took place. Following Mr Cameron’s assurance to the people that the Government would abide by the outcome of the referendum decision, given in the firm belief that the Remain vote would prevail, the general public voted believing that the outcome would be binding on the Government.

MPs of all parties voted 6-1 to allow the people to decide whether to stay in or leave the EU. When this vote was taken I do not recall any of them making clear to their constituents that the vote was advisory only and not binding on Parliament.

For opponents of Brexit to now raise this point, smacks of a huge con trick by the then Prime Minister and fellow MPs, by assuring us that the vote was binding on the Government, when they were fully aware of the content and implications of the House of Commons briefing paper, and the electorate was not.

If this is the case, it is yet another damning indictment of the insidious erosion of democracy in this country.

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I fully agree with Mr Hughes when he states that MPs (and the rest of us) are deluded if they think there is any other option other than to leave the EU.

Prophesies of doom and gloom by Remain campaigners have failed to materialise.

The economy is getting better, stock market is at a record high, worldwide nations wish to trade with the UK with a consequent potential improvement in our infrastructure and living standards.

All of this before we trigger Article 50 of the European Treaty in March.

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Let us all look to the future as a self-ruling nation free from financial and political constraint of a 27-member European Union.

We want out of the EU not out of Europe, there is no valid reason why we cannot continue trading and visiting each other without having to make our borders open to mass migration and the resulting strain on our economy and infrastructure.

Cyril Olsen

Busk Meadow, Sheffield, S5