We’re being urged to shut up on Brexit

Dear Editor Willie Robertson’s letter of July 31 (Respect the referendum) is a good example of the contempt in which our London overlords and their local collaborators hold Scots.

He stated that in 2014 Scotland voted to remain part of the UK. True, but part of the ‘offer’ was that we would remain in the EU.

The morning after the referendum David Cameron stood outside 10 Downing Street and announced EVEL, English votes for English laws. That was a bi-digital valedictory salutation aimed at those of us north of Hadrian’s Wall.

That was a foretaste of what was coming had we but known it. The Tory Party’s infighting over the EU was out of control and spilled over into the public domain. Thus we had the referendum. Bear in mind that constitutional referenda are consultative, not binding, although governments usually commit upfront to accept the result.

Despite almost two-thirds of Scotland voting to stay we are being dragged out because of a supposed pan-UK majority.

Truncating a sentence of Mr Robertson’s: “Like most people who want a referendum, if the result does not go their way .... demand a rerun”. I have to say that is exactly what the Brexiteers have done. They want us to forget that this was the second Euroref. After joining the Common Market in 1973 under Ted Heath’s Tories, we had a referendum in 1975 after Harold Wilson’s Labour, with the support of opposition leader, Margaret Thatcher, renegotiated membership terms (but not the CFP). The result was that 67 per cent voted to stay in.

Since then the unionist Brexiteers have kept up a constant agitation for withdrawal from what is now the EU. That, despite several renegotiations, opt-outs, and new treaties signed by the UK – and Maggie Thatcher getting a reputation for ‘hand-bagging’.

Mr Robertson finishes his letter with the sentence: “A referendum should give the government a decisive action to take without being questioned by those in the minority.” A perfect example of London-centric thinking. What it decides will prevail. Others can shut up – unless, of course, they are Brexiteers agitating against two-thirds of the population who decided to be EU members last time around. Thomas R Burgess St Catherine’s Square Perth