I WAS a Conservative and I am now labelled a Remainer, or by some as a traitor.

My label has been made by David Cameron and the Conservative party when they invented Brexit.

They made the referendum which gave votes to 90-year-olds, most of whom will die before Brexit, but denied 16-year-olds, all of whom will face the consequences for the rest of their lives.

Two years on it seems politicians have lost control of the process, still claiming the ‘will of the people’ but ignoring the other half.

I do not envy parliament’s Hobson’s choice.

Support May’s deal and you will satisfy no one and face a future that is manifestly worse than our present membership arrangement.

Vote down May’s deal and you get No Deal. Now that the time has come, project fear may be too scary too ignore.

After all, who wants to be responsible for damaging 65 million people’s lives, and risk a stagnating economy, inflation, jobs and livelihoods lost as businesses relocate, elderly dying prematurely as the NHS is starved of resources, and perhaps hundreds of thousands of retired Britons being forced to return home.

And the young – no opportunities for them, but then they didn’t vote! There will be no going back.

If I were an MP I would fight for a meaningful vote and insist on sufficient time to make ‘meaningful’ mean something. I would accept nothing less and if parliament cannot decide I would throw it back to the people, for a People’s Vote.

At least this time round people should have a better idea of what they are voting for.

It is risky and acknowledges parliamentary failure, but at least democracy will have run its course.

Anything short of this, if the country burns, politicians will have only themselves to blame.

And the public will blame them for their betrayal. If Parliament can’t decide then hand it back to the People.

HENRY PRANKERD

Portesham