Referendum Result

 

Thank you for your letter. I am sorry that I cannot reply to each individual letter I have received.

I have had a number of representations asking me to ignore the decision that the British people took on the recent EU Referendum.  For the sake of clarity, I absolutely refuse to do this as it was a democratic decision taken freely by the British electorate.  In a democracy we must respect the decision of all voters, whether it is the one that we want or not.  I do not believe there is a case for a second Referendum and the UK Government must now plan to leave the EU during this Parliament. 

I think it is also clear that the British public rejected the concept of free movement of people and therefore we cannot come to a trading agreement where this concept is maintained.  You do not have to be in the Single Market to sell into the Single Market as countries like the US make clear.  This is a political decision, not an economic one  applied  by the EU as part of its process of political integration.

I appreciate that many people will be unhappy with the outcome of the Referendum but at least the British people have been given the option which is more than has happened in other European states.