If democracy cannot change its mind - it ceases to be a democracy

I WOULD have read Dr. Andy McWilliam’s UKIP delusional diatribe ( Echo Letters November 29) with some amusement if the issue were not so serious.

He alleges that the “EU now openly displays vitriol and loathing for the people of Britain”. Perhaps he could provide chapter and verse?

Much of our press has expressed such views about the European Union (EU) but on the whole I suggest that the EU representatives have been calm and collected in their response to our telling them to get lost. I would also point out that it is we who are initiating the break up and causing disruption to our neighbours.

He asserts that 85 per cent of the planet will line up to trade directly with us. This may be the case but it will be largely on their terms. India has already indicated that it would like our borders to be open to its 1.3bn population in return for a free trade agreement.

I would also point out that this would be the equivalent of saying that 99 per cent of the world beyond the counties surrounding Leicestershire will line up to trade with us if we introduce trade restrictions with our surrounding counties.

Any economist will tell you that the most cost effective and beneficial trade is that with your near neighbours. Indeed we already trade with the world outside of the EU on World Trade terms apart from the 50 coun- tries where we benefit from trade agreements already negotiated by the EU.

When we voted 52/48 to advise Parliament that we would prefer to leave the EU many claims were made that we would be able to negotiate a favourable trade agreement and put an additional £350m per week into the NHS. I feel certain that at least two per cent of those voting to leave would have done so on this basis.

If we are now to leave the EU with no agreement then I believe we should have another referendum where we can have a clear choice between a hard Brexit or remaining in the EU (EU leaders have indicated that we can change our minds at any time up until 29th March 2019).

As the arch Brexiteer David Davis said in a 2012 speech on the EU: “If a democracy cannot change its mind, it ceases to be a democracy.”

John Catt