I NOTE the pro-Brexit letters of John Hill, Frances Hogan and Graham Bowles in October 3's Gazette. They and I are unlikely to find common ground but, as someone who has spent much time over the last four years arguing for Remain across Cumbria, I feel I must try.

Mr Hill suggests Remainers are dishonouring the results of the 2016 referendum by continuing to argue the benefits of staying in the EU. In any democracy if you believe your country is heading along the wrong path it is surely the only honourable thing to do. That is, oppose it within the law.

It is Parliament, not Government, that takes the ultimate decision on whether we leave or stay, and in a representative democracy it is our MPs who must make up their minds where the country's and their constituency's best interests lie.

The four per cent margin of victory for the Leave side was small enough to suggest it was influenced by whoever told the best lies and had the most effective campaign. Many of us now know more than we did in 2016 about the issues involved in us leaving, and in part it is also a new electorate.

Whether we finally should decide by a general election or a further referendum, or both, is debatable. When you are deciding what sort of country you, your children and grandchildren are to live in I think it is very difficult to argue that a decision so profound should be made by one simple binary vote on one occasion.

On the street I find many people simply want it to be over so that they can get on with their lives. I agree, but if we do leave on October 31 without a deal, of course it will not be over. There will be many more news-grabbing years of negotiations for new trade deals with the EU and other countries. We will not thrive without them.

There is no easy outcome to Brexit. It is true the result is one that surprised many like me that take an interest in politics and, for all of their adult lives, have sought and then enjoyed our membership of the EU.

I believe we will be less safe, poorer, less influential and less progressive in every way outside of the EU. Half the country disagrees with me.

The many deep divisions Brexit has exposed have to be healed and I think we can only begin that process following a general election and a referendum where all sides commit to accepting the result.

John Studholme

New Hutton