I never thought that I would concur with the views of the former secretary of state for education, but I have to admit that I agree with Nicky Morgan (MPs must have a say on Brexit, 28 October). It is spurious for ministers continually to argue that the prime minister can trigger article 50 of the Lisbon treaty because the referendum result represents “the will of the people”. As Morgan points out, referendums are not legally binding in the UK because of the sovereignty of parliament. It must be for parliament to decide the matter and in so doing take account of the will of the people, bearing in mind that less than 38% of the electorate voted to leave the EU.
Mike Pender
Cardiff
• Nicky Morgan argues “parliament should be asked to formally approve the serving of a notice under article 50’’. But parliament had already formally given the required approval by holding the referendum. As the UK is unable to leave the EU without serving notice under article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, the holding of the referendum necessarily meant parliamentary approval to serve that notice had been given in the event of a successful leave vote. The one implied the other. Morgan also says “parliamentary sovereignty has been hard won over hundreds of years”. Yes, but parliamentary sovereignty is just one stage in the movement to achieve full democracy in government. Thanks to astonishing developments in technology, we can now involve all the voting population in decision-making. Simultaneously we are witnessing an immense decline in trust in representational democracy. The 23 June decision was preceded by six months of nationwide debate of an intense kind on just one issue. It was an astonishing democratic achievement. That MPs dislike it is to be expected. They recoil at the prospect of being agents, and not controllers, of democracy and will oppose it as monarchs opposed parliamentary sovereignty. We are witnessing political evolution. It is the future.
Michael Knowles
Congleton, Cheshire
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