Children putting adults to shame PHOTO

READERS’ OF THE WEEK

I happened to be in Canterbury last week when the young peoples’ protest passed me by on their way to Dane John Gardens with their drums, chanting, banners and smoke.

Three cheers for them all! They are showing foresight, wisdom and courage to protest how our so-called leaders are leading us to death. Death of the planet through pollution, loss of habitat and a greedy proliferation of the quest for economic growth at all costs. This is a fundamental cause of so many of our ills that has led to the fearful division of our population into the haves and the have nots. The teachers and head teachers should have been marching with them, together with the city councillors.

The dire comments emanating from Downing Street are crass, arrogant and ignorant and epitomise the attitude that has led to our current dangerous global state. Time to call a halt; time for a rethink. Our children are leading the way and putting adults to shame. Wake up, give the 16-year-olds the vote.

democracy.

The 17-plus million people who voted to leave the EU in the last referendum are people. The winning margin was greater than in two of the past four general elections, but nobody challenged the resulting governments’ right to take power then.

Ms Duffield was elected on a Labour manifesto which promised to respect the referendum result. It is difficult to recall a time when people’s respect for Parliament is so low. For elected representatives to abandon the result of the last referendum and seek to re-run it would lead to outrage. It would fuel the growth here of the kind of extremist parties which are rising in France, Germany and Holland and have already taken power in Italy, Poland and Hungary.

Whatever the outcome of the latest negotiations, we need to get on with it. Setting us on a path for another referendum - a process which would last a year - would simply prolong the agony, without guaranteeing any answer at all. What happens if the country votes to leave again (as Remainers like Ken Clarke have hinted is likely)? What if a second referendum produces a similar majority, but for Remain. Why is that more valid? Should we have the best of three after another year?

Britain is a mature democracy. The people have spoken, and Parliament must deliver.