What do we really want from Brexit?

It seems that I must once again point out the obvious to Peter Burns after his reply to my last letter. My letter (September 27) was a heavily edited fragment of a much longer argument. However I will just answer his one point with facts that have been stated many times before. 1. The Referendum was only advisory. 2. David Cameron promised to implement the result, but he ran away. His promise cannot bind any subsequent government. 3. We are a Parliamentary democracy. MPS are not delegates elected to do what the public say - they are representatives elected to use their judgment in our interest. Thus we should not be open to mob rule. 4. The advisory referendum asked a simplistic question with a binary choice. The problem is that no one knows for certain what all the Leave voters were voting for. Some voted to leave at all costs; some voted leave because they believed lies of the Leave campaign that we could leave but keep all the benefits of membership; some believed the lie on the side of the bus about giving the NHS £350million a week; some felt left behind by austerity and globalism and voted to give David Cameron a kicking. All these reasons and more have been heard. Thus when it turns out that we cannot have our cake and eat it, that Northern Ireland is a problem which risks breaking up the country, that the economic prospects of leaving are poor, many people have reconsidered. 5. Because no one knows what type of Brexit was voted for, the Government is not tied to any particular sort (or any). Unfortunately, Mrs May has painted herself into a corner with her ridiculous red lines and is a prisoner of the lunatic fringe of her party. Mr Corbyn has not promised any particular type of Brexit, but trades union leaders are now asking for the softest of Brexits because of the threats to their members jobs. 6. Democracy did not stop in 2016. When the facts became known many people have reconsidered. Demographics have changed the electorate with many new young voters, whose future is at stake. So to sum up, we probably have 3 options :a) Hard Brexit - leave the EU with no deal. The result of this is economic catastrophe and is only favoured by the head-bangers on the extreme right of the Tory party. Not a sensible option as it threatens the unity of the UK as well as economic collapse. b) The Norway option - stay in the single market and customs union but leave the political side of the EU - and give up our part in decision making. This would solve the Northern Irish problem, preserve UK unity and satisfy the Referendum vote. c) Remain in the EU and retain all our current privileges - the best and cheapest option. So, Peter, I hope that clears up your confusion on the reality of Democracy. Nigel Jones Weston Bath