Nationalistmakesfalse assumptioninletter

The vitriol emanating from certain sections of society never ceases to astound me.

Thomas Burgess, in his letter to Your Views (November 15) labels me a “hard line Tory”, “hagiographic” and willing to vote Conservative at any event – even to voting “for a donkey wearing a blue rosette”.

He also infers that I would stoop to signing off on a letter “emanating from Tory central”. Let me assure him that I never have, and never will, allow myself to be manipulated in such a way.

Add to this the fact that I have never, to my certain knowledge, spoken to Mr Burgess let alone debated any political issue with him. Yet he feels he is entitled to label me with (as he sees it) such stinging nomenclatures.

On the other hand it is interesting that Mr Burgess admits that he would vote for a donkey wearing a yellow rosette (his words – not mine).

What was my crime to provoke such an outburst?

I merely pointed to the fact that the Brexit referendum was a UK-wide poll which resulted, regrettably, in the decision that the UK should leave the European Union.

Mr Burgess then proceeds along another well worn path – if you disagree with a certain view of the political landscape you cannot be considered as being a democrat.

In an extension of this hypotheses he seeks to brand Luke Graham as being non-democratic.

The fact of the matter is that the Conservative manifesto on which the last general election was fought included a commitment to accept and implement the outcome of the democratic exercise which led to Brexit.

Luke Graham set out his stall clearly for all to see. Consequently he was elected as MP for Ochil and Perthshire South by people who fully understood his stance on Brexit, and the other issues facing the country.

I believe that is what is called democracy. Perhaps not everyone’s interpretation of the term, but at least we do live in a society which takes the broader view.

Since being returned as an MP Luke Graham has since worked to deliver on those pledges (this not hagiography – merely a statement of fact) while others refuse to accept the democratically expressed wishes of the electorate of the UK and seek to thwart the outcome in order to promote their own, often narrow, agenda. Ken Hirstwood via email