MR MORETON clearly responded to my letter in the heat of the moment, dismissing some crucially important points as “dron(ing) on about details” while his choices of language were very revealing.

His justification of “remoaners” largely confirms my original contention. The “unelected foreigners” phrase is another cliché and a propaganda lie of such long-standing that many people, proving the efficacy of the old propagandists’ doctrine, have come to accept its truth.

The European Parliament is elected on a more democratic basis than the Westminster one; the Council of Ministers represents democratically elected governments. European Commission proposals have to pass both these bodies.

It is, of course, true, that many of these people are foreigners, and prejudicial xenophobia appears to be the underlying value here, a conclusion further supported by the telling “so-called refugees” phrase, of people escaping from countries that are in the process of being destroyed.

The irony is that, in our isolated and weakened state after leaving the EU, important decisions about our future will indeed be made by “unelected foreigners” in, for example, Chinese and Gulf sovereign funds and in private board rooms all over the world.

Much has been made recently of the Christian-humanist values underpinning British traditions.

Ironically, it is Mrs Merkel who has best attempted to meet those demands; our own response – in spite of our long responsibility for much of the mayhem in the world – has been shaming.

It is true that a large majority in the last election voted for parties which accept that the triggering of Article 50 is a fait accompli.

What that actually means, beyond leaving the EU (which even so is not yet irrevocable), remains open to doubt and negotiation.

It does not necessarily mean leaving the Customs Union nor the European Free Trade Area, both of which are open to non-EU members.

Exactly what people think about these options, in spite of Mr Moreton’s willingness to speak for them, we do not know because they have not been asked in any formally verifiable manner, nor have the implications been widely and coherently discussed..

The contrast between Mr Moreton and the measured tones of Mr Letwin’s adjacent column, praising the Jo Cox notion of “more that unites us than divides us”, and acclaiming the values of a “liberal democracy”, is very stark.

As the Brexit Secretary, David Davis, has observed, “if a democracy cannot change its mind, it ceases to be a democracy”.

That is exactly what Mr Moreton, having achieved the result he wanted by whatever means, explicitly desires by his refusal to consider a further vote when the terms of our exit are known.

It is a morally, culturally, and politically very dark and dangerous place that Mr Moreton would lead us to.

Barry Tempest

Romulus Close, Dorchester