Brexit and breaking faith with the people

Yet another dose of dewy-eyed, quasi-mystical piety around the Brexit vote (New EU vote ‘would break faith with the people’ – May, 17 December). Yet again “the people” used as a synonym for “leavers”, with the rest of us implicitly relegated to citizens of nowhere. Yet again a dogged refusal to recognise that what really insults the people – all of us, whether we voted leave, remain or neither – is to be denied the opportunity to endorse or repudiate the dismal future that has coalesced with increasing clarity from the swirling, misty lie-scape of 2016.

But does Theresa May, an avowed remainer before the referendum, actually believe her own populist rhetoric? It seems to me that ever since she became PM, under cover of an apparent conversion to the true faith and brandishing her red lines like holy relics, she has been aiming to inflict a (collective) punishment Brexit – effectively saying to us all: “You’ve made your bed and now you must lie in it.” As a childcare strategy this would be questionable; as an approach to government it is ludicrously irresponsible.
Rob Sykes
Oxford

• Mrs May has a bloody cheek to tell us a “second referendum would be undemocratic and break faith with the British people” and then go on to call for unity around her deeply flawed proposal.

However, let’s remember that she has done nothing for two and a half years to develop any consensus around a possible proposal that could bring people together. She has again and again insulted the 48% of remainers with cheap gibes about “citizens of nowhere”. She has consistently excluded parliament from the debate, refused serious dialogue with opposition parties, has failed to listen to the leaders of major cities (who were forced to go to Europe on their own to express their concerns) and failed to do anything to reach out to people in the country on both sides of the debate to come together to seek a solution. She has concentrated exclusively on what she conceives as conservative interests and keeping the European Research Group on board, and now that the clock is ticking she wants our support.

I for one am utterly disgusted.
Sarah Perrigo
Leeds

• I’m sure I will be one among many of your readers to point out the irony of Theresa May warning that a second referendum “would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics, because it would say to millions who trusted in democracy that our democracy does not deliver”. This is the way many of the electorate have felt for some time, and is possibly one of the causes of the leave vote. The current chaos after two years of ineptitude is unlikely to have changed many minds.
Cherry Weston
Wolverhampton

• If I ask a professional company to renovate my kitchen I will be given a proposed design. I may have several discussions with the company and ask for modifications to the design. Ultimately, when we have come to an agreement, the company will provide me with the cost. At this point I may decide to go ahead or I may decide that the project is too expensive and keep my old kitchen. I have the right to change my mind. Will someone please explain to me why it is undemocratic to ask the British public, now in possession of the full facts and costs to the country, whether they wish to proceed with the Brexit project or not? Is democracy not an ongoing conversation between the government and the people?
Susan Newton
Oldham

• It’s not democracy that has failed to deliver a Brexit deal acceptable to parliament and most voters, but Mrs May’s own efforts. It is understandable that she will do anything to avoid snatching away David Cameron’s title as the most inept PM in living memory, but the vanity of a politician can’t decide the fate of nations – at least nations not passive or foolish enough to confuse vanity with purpose.
Guill Gil
London

• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com

• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters

• Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers? Click here to upload it and we’ll publish the best submissions in the letters spread of our print edition