THE people have spoken and demanded we take back control of our country and its institutions, especially Parliament.

This decision has been endorsed by the Supreme Court: it will be for Parliament to vote to trigger Article 50.

Here in Stroud the voice of the people was equally clear: by a much larger margin than the national leave vote, the people of Stroud voted to remain in the EU.

Our MP, Neil Carmichael, made his own views beyond doubt by chairing the Conservative Group for Europe and taking a prominent role in the referendum campaign for Remain.

Over 40,000 electors in Stroud voted to Remain; only 28,000 actually voted for Mr Carmichael in the 2015 election.

On this basis we must expect Mr Carmichael to vote against triggering Article 50 when the question comes before Parliament.

Any other choice would represent a contemptuous dismissal of the democratic will of the people of this constituency.

Arthur Snell

Cranham