Brexit backdown would betray electorate

Sir, - If there is a case, as Sir Tam Dalyell suggests, for the largely pro-Remain members of the House of Commons to come together and block Brexit (August 23), I can think of nothing more sure to widen the already disturbing gulf between voters and the people who represent them.

Although I voted to stay in the European Union, I have to say that there is an element of denial among those who lost the argument.

That argument was lost for a number of reasons.

The first was that Remain was unable to counter concern about high levels of immigration, particularly south of the border.

Many people who lived in “safe” Labour parliamentary seats suddenly found a real chance to challenge the political class.

Those on relatively low incomes felt that their Members of Parliament were not really speaking for them.

Too fast a pace of change was causing some communities to ask questions about the way they were governed.

The Remain side was unable to devise a sufficiently good slogan to counter Leave’s repetitive, but effective, “take back control”.

MPs north and south of the border need to learn lessons from all this.

Their energies now need to focus on how withdrawal can be managed in the most effective way. That is their role and they should not be tempted by Sir Tam’s advice to try to reverse the decision made by the people on June 23. Bob Taylor. 24

Shiel Court, Glenrothes.

Former Labour MP Tam Dalyell.