JIM Sokol (Letters, March 11) insults half the voting population by suggesting that those who don’t support a hard Brexit are unpatriotic.

In a democracy, you must expect that rival political parties should challenge government intentions.

The Liberal Democrats are in favour of working closely with other European nations, not because our allegiance is first and foremost with Brussels, but because it is very obviously in the interests of our country to do so.

Respecting the referendum result need not involve detaching ourselves from the biggest trade bloc in the world, reducing our co-operation on things like tackling climate change or terrorist threats.

More people seem to be siding with us as it emerges than there will be likely be a multi-billion pound bill to leave.

The government of the day and their right-wing supporters don’t own the monopoly on patriotism. True patriots are those that recognise British values of democracy and aren’t intimidated by the suggestion that it is somehow treacherous to lay out alternatives to the current government approach.

Councillor David Harrison

Leader, New Forest District Liberal Democrats