THE half-baked draft Brexit deal agreed by the Cabinet means that a UK-wide referendum on the deal, with the option to remain in the EU, is now the only credible way forward.

While it was agreed to by the Cabinet, there is no chance of it passing through the Westminster Parliament given the deep divisions among the Tories, both from Remainers and Leavers, as well as opposition from the DUP.

With the deal the UK would be relegated to being a rule taker from Brussels rather than a rule maker in the EU, which would be vastly worse than the benefits Scotland has as an integral part of the EU.

For example, access to European markets would be dependent on granting access to European fishing fleets, so the promises made to the fishing industry would be rendered null and void.

As David Davis, the former Brexit Secretary and an ardent Leaver, pointed out before the most recent referendum, “if a democracy cannot change its mind, it ceases to be a democracy”.

There are few I know who voted for Brexit in the belief it would make them poorer and it is up to the public to give its view on whether the deal, and more importantly its implications, are what it wants.

The Scottish Parliament has led the way in backing a People’s Vote and now that we know the precise nature of the deal, it is up to the public to have its say.

Alex Orr,

Flat 3, 2 Marchmont Road, Edinburgh.

EVEN in the total shambles of the “end game”, still we hear about having to implement the “will of the people”, on a margin that was not decisive enough to win devolution in 1979. Why, however, does no-one ask, “who are the people”? In all probability, most folk would simply say that it is the voting public and think no further. They would be so wrong.

I regard “the people”, in a voting context, as all adults resident in the UK, contributing by working, paying tax and contributing to their community, including those younger ones who will spend their adult lives living with the consequences of the vote and old enough to marry or fight for the country. If questioned further, I suspect that this definition would be agreed by most.

This was not the case in the EU referendum. Thousands of EU citizens, living, working, paying tax, marrying, bringing up children to be the next generation of taxpayers, supporting our overstretched public services, and those old enough to marry or join the armed forces and with their whole adult lives ahead, were excluded from the franchise. Are they not an integral part of “the people”? As a retired person, I voted for the futures of my children and grandchildren, as my lifespan under any new situation is likely to be minimal by comparison.

David Cameron did not ask “the people” to vote. He asked only a proportion, pre-sifted and selected, but including even expats who have left this country to take up permanent residence abroad, who will have no place in our future within the UK.

The “will of the people” or rigged voting?

L McGregor,

Gartcows Road, Falkirk.

THERE is much talk about the Conservative Party splitting over Brexit, something which its political opponents might indeed welcome.

Do not hold your breath, but ask; why has this been the most successful political party in Europe, or indeed the world, for 300 years? This party is not for splitting.

There has only been one split in the Conservative/Tory party in all that time. In 1844 Peel, the Tory Prime Minister repealed the Corn Laws, and the Peelites joined with the opposition Whigs to form the early Liberal party. The Tories were out of power for three decades. The Tories decided never to let that happen again and rallied to their new leader, Disraeli who succinctly stated: "Damn your principles, stick to your party".

Since then the Conservative Party and its representatives, except for the odd individual resignation, have stuck to that unprincipled principle and it has been the basis of their success, meaning that generally the party is in power and this prevents any threat to the political and economic interests of the class it represents.

I am sure that, the odd resignation and defection apart, this will again be the case and the Tories will abandon whatever opinions they have for or against Brexit in order to keep the themselves in power. I could be wrong, if so and we saw a Tory Party in decades of political wilderness, Brexit would almost be a price worth paying, and the political trajectory of the last 40 years could begin to be reversed.

Ian R Mitchell,

21 Woodside Terrace, Glasgow.

WE don’t live in some golden era, we are in a country which no matter how one assesses its performance compared to others is getting worse not better. Whether it be our woefully inadequate state pension, life expectancy or disposable income, we are being overtaken by second division countries in most categories. The only thing of note that is increasing is the wealth of the elite.

We live in a world, a country, a society where money talks and those who don’t have it are forced to listen. Those who have the money will take any step needed to protect themselves and the dynastic order they belong to. Look to your history it's a fact of life.

Whenever the Establishment senses the great unwashed beginning to demand change it usually starts a war to distract the hard-of-thinking; it’s always been thus. Yet again we are in a war with Europe, no shooting this time but for the same reason as usual, the Establishment demanded it and their Westminster stooges provided it. One look at the complete disarray and deceit within Government ranks at Westminster and the utter confusion and lack of leadership or cohesion in the ranks of MPs opposed to Brexit reveals the deliberate ineffectiveness inherent in our supposed democratic system. It’s a system designed to focus public attention on the performance of Government and the Westminster players rather than the ills in society and the skewed distribution of wealth that cause most of them.

Brexit will happen because the rich want it to and their orders will be obeyed. I hope I am proved wrong, but I won’t be.

David J Crawford,

85 Whittingehame Court, 1300 Great Western Road, Glasgow.

MUCH of the criticism of Theresa May is unfair. The British electorate, albeit by a very small majority, instructed her to do something stupid. She has done it.

At least allow her that.

John Jamieson,

60 Craigie Road, Ayr.