LETTER: High turnout for by-election

It also results in him scoring a spectacular own goal.

The turnout of 53.6 per cent was actually exceptionally high for a by-election. In the 66 by-elections since the 1997 general election only six have been higher, and interestingly half those were won by the Lib Dems.

The fact that there was no (official) Tory candidate, no Green, no UKIP and only a token Labour effort render the turn out even more impressive.

To try to claim this was anything other than a vote against hard Brexit simply ignores the facts. The ostensible main issue, Heathrow, was neutralised because inevitably, all the candidates said they would oppose it.

The Lib Dem campaign was clearly, loudly and proudly, against hard Brexit and in favour of remaining in the single market. I helped distribute the leaflets so I do know.

Mr Jones further claims that this does not reflect the local referendum result. Richmond upon Thames, of which Richmond Park forms a part, voted 69.29 per cent to remain, and was one of the most decisive of the 120 areas voting to remain.

It was Brexiteer Zac Goldsmith as their elected representative who acted undemocratically in rejecting the views of his electorate, for which he has now rightly paid with his job.

It was Mr Jones’s hero Nigel Farage himself who stated in May that a 52/48 referendum result ‘would be unfinished business’ but as the margin was in their favour Brexiters now claim this as a decisive vote.

However, in a spectacular own goal Mr Jones is so keen to belittle the Richmond Park success that he suggests that 74 per cent of the electorate did not vote for the Lib Dems.

Well, I have news for you Mr Jones. It was actually only 37.4 per cent of the electorate who voted for Brexit whereas 62.6 per cent didn’t.

Should you not be applying your own logic to that result too?

Jeremy Field

Chairman, Bexhill and Battle Liberal Democrats,

Virgins Lane

Battle

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