VICTOR Thorn and J.M.Wheeler both accuse Alan Whitehead MP of acting undemocratically by not voting in Parliament to allow the Government to start the process of leaving the European Union.

Far from being undemocratic, I would say that Mr Whitehead was being very principled in doing what he was elected to do, represent the best interests of his constituents.

Both Mr Thorn and Wheeler seem to be confusing mob rule with a responsible democracy, where issues are debated by the people we have elected to represent us, in the institutions that are entrusted to make the final decisions.

Indeed what sort of representation and ensuing society would we have if every popular decision was converted into a corresponding action?

Regarding the particular issue of the referendum I have no doubt that despite the courage of people like Alan Whitehead, we will indeed create some fudged half-leave, half-stay arrangement with our European partners.

This of course will not be based on what is really in best interest of the citizens of the UK, but due to the result of the referendum the next best option, damage limitation.

This was emphasised recently by a World Trade Organisation spokesman on the BBC when he stated that “any deals that the UK creates will always be second best to what they already have as members of the EU”.

Wrapping yourself in a flag is no defence against the realities of the world that we inhabit today, in fact the national isolationist approach ended tragically for many way back in 1914 and Hitler’s attempt to resurrect it 20 years later is well documented.

When Winston Churchill called for the creation of a “United States of Europe” in Zurich in 1946, he knew that nationalism was responsible for the horrors that he had witnessed and helped end throughout the preceding three decades.

Regarding the issue of democracy and the referendum, maybe Churchill should also have the final say when he said: “The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter."

I think that following the events of 2016 on both sides of the Atlantic, many of us now know exactly what he meant.

T K Tew

Southampton