PARLIAMENT didn’t offer a referendum to the nation when it repealed the death penalty: the majority would have still opted for an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a chopped hand for a theft, a life for a life.

Our justice system and Parliament, with its elected representatives, had the time and expertise to study the legal, moral and ethical elements involved and concluded that the health and growth of a modern society overrode our primitive reactions.

Of the total electorate of more than 46 million, 17 million elected to leave the EU, 16 million elected to remain and 13 million abstained from voting.

The abstaining millions cannot be blamed as they were totally bemused by the false accusations and statistics being fed them.

It seems to me to be very reasonable for the courts to study the evidence and ensure the rights of the 13 million abstainers are not being overridden by over-zealous campaigners.

The whole matter can then be referred to Parliament for our legal representatives to study the implications in greater depth and consider what is most beneficial for the nation.

It may very well decide to accept Brexit in its entirety or in a modified form.

I hope that the nation does not revert from an open society to a closed one. We need a closer link with other nations to ensure our planet’s habitat remains compatible with the needs of humanity.

What we don’t want is to retreat behind the ramparts and pull up the drawbridge.

There’s a whole universe out there to be explored. Don’t give up hope. Let’s go.

John Foley

Victoria Road

Penarth