I don’t know where Paul Olford was when the referendum took place (I want a first vote on deal, Guardian, December 20) but a majority voted to leave, which was on the basis described by Mr Cameron, Mr Clegg and others: if we voted to leave, they said, we would leave. That explicitly included leaving the single market and customs union.

I also don’t know where he was at the last General Election when all Westminster parties’ manifestos promised to implement Brexit - now Parliament comes up with every reason why they might not do so.

Paul’s idea that the people would vote on the various alternative treaty wordings is farcical - that is why we have a representative democracy. The key under our system is we can throw out the MPs who failed us. Unlike the EU whose leaders we cannot remove - just look at the clownish behaviour of “President” Junker in recent days!

Andrew Smith,

Hemnall Street, Epping