Labour Party could give Boris Johnson a lesson in ignoring democratic process

It’s really hypocritical of the Labour Party to pretend to occupy the moral high ground in the proroguing of parliament on the grounds that it is anti-democratic.

Tony Blair ignored three million people who demonstrated against involving the UK in the second Iraq war, saying that he was glad that people could express their opposition to his decision. He then lied to parliament about Saddam Hussein having weapons of mass destruction which he could direct against us in 45 minutes, so persuading a majority of MPS at Westminster to vote in favour of joining the US in attacking Iraq.

When, in two judicial enquiries into his actions, he and Alastair Campbell produced the “sexed-up” dossier he brazenly distorted the evidence against him.

Even when the subsequent and, hopefully, final enquiry was severely critical of his tactics, basically finding him guilty, he continued to protest his innocence. He is now a completely discredited figure yet the Labour Party has not removed his membership and he has appeared on TV arguing the case for ignoring the will of the people. Again.

Until the EU vote, the Labour Party papered over the dissent in its ranks about opposing the Yes vote by using Blair’s infamous “creative ambiguity” policy. It is still doing so. They have a leader who has vehemently opposed the EU most of his political life now mouthing arguments against leaving it. He has co-operated with the Lib Dems and other Remain parties in what seems to be a cynical attempt to overturn the Leave vote.

Jeremy Corbyn is ignoring Labour voters who support leaving the EU and those who do not object to leaving without a deal. He is a hypocrite. The party’s opposition to leaving the EU is based on blind opposition to any Tory government.

No matter who the Labour Party puts up as spokesperson to defend its views on the withdrawal agreement or leaving the EU, we should all remember this – their history is one of deceiving the public.

LOVINA ROE Glasgow Road, Perth

As a Tory and a Leave voter I have been rounded upon by various friends and colleagues for my view on the proroguing of Parliament. My opinion is actually irrelevant – and Boris never actually asked for it – but I do find the move unusual and unexpected.

However, I find it no more contemptuous than the actions of many other politicians of late, for example the SNP (who fail to acknowledge the way Scotland voted in 2014), the many Remainers (who refuse to acknowledge the 2016 vote), the Labour Party (who continually invent tactics to ride roughshod over their traditional voters), and even the Speaker (who exhibits obvious bias).

However, I do respect one thing. Over the last three years, MPS have used every mechanism possible to avoid arriving at a Brexit decision (which I do find contemptible), but have been hoist by their own petard by a decisive politician who is determined to enact the result of the Brexit vote.

Contemptuous, undemocratic? They all are. Unfortunately, this seems to be the way politics is moving but at least, in this case, it is moving towards the decision of the people.

KEN CURRIE Liberton Drive, Edinburgh

I’m very surprised at your headline on the front page of yesterday’s Scotsman: A Dark Day for Democracy.

We voted to stay in the Union, and the SNP seem hell-bent on denying that wish

We voted to leave the EU, and the so called Liberal Democrats printed T-shirts with the slogan Bollocks to Brexit.

It’s these stances which should properly be described as anti-democratic.

ANDREW MORTON

Park Place, Dollar